A Skein of Afterlives: Liminal Cocoon
by Eria
Summary: Sequel to Janus' Maze: Tsuzuki and Hisoka are off for a well-earned vacation in Gensoukai, but Hisoka splits to find another shikigami! Meanwhile, Terazuma and Wakaba receive a startling assignment: Investigate the Kurosakis.
1. Photo Albums and Mount Koho

* * *

_Author's notes: Well, it's the first chapter for the sequel to **Janus' Maze**! For first time readers, check out **Essential Notions Concerning Hydrogen Monoxide** and then **A Skein of Afterlives: Janus' Maze. JM **is undergoing an editing process. I appreciate any comments, questions, or constructive criticism for **Liminal Cocoon**! -hearts-_

_Also it goes without saying, **spoilers** for Kamakura/Gensoukai Arcs. Things deviate a bit from true canon, but I've tried to keep the majority of it there._

_**Edit**: Because I decided that I liked Tenkou and Taimou without the 'u'._

* * *

Still looking for the answer

I cannot find the finish

It's either this or that way

It's one way or the other

It should be one direction

It could be on reflection

The turn I have just taken

The turn that I was making

I might be just beginning

I might be near the end

_-Excerpt from "_Anywhere Is_" by **Enya**_

* * *

Immediately after they touched ground, Hisoka sighed knowing they would be surrounded by his partner's Summons. He looked at the crumpled fuda that protected him from others' emotions and balled it up tossing it at Tsuzuki's head. It wasn't like he needed it for Shikigami. He couldn't sense their emotions to begin with.

"Hey! What was that for?" Frowning at the balled up fuda in his hand and carefully smoothing it out, Tsuzuki blinked at it.

Gripping the strap of his sack because he was secretly glad to feel Tsuzuki again without needing to touch the link, Hisoka looked over his shoulder at his confused partner. "Hey. I'm going to wander around while you visit."

Tsuzuki held the charm carefully in his fingers, worried about his partner nonetheless. "Visit? Where—OMPH!"

"Master!" The pale-haired young man dressed in loose warrior robes perched on Tsuzuki's back with a long striped tail curling out above him.

"B-byakko, please get off of me. That kind of hurt."

As Byakko's happy cries faded behind him, Hisoka looked at the map Rikugo had given him and walked towards the Central Prayer Area of Tenkuu Palace, thinking of meeting the six-eyed Shiki. Stopping he could sense that someone was shadowing him. With a bored expression he knew who it probably was, even if he couldn't feel his shiki. "Riko…"

"Rrrrrrrikoo! Hi ya Amigo! Long time, no see!" The cactus hopped out of the shadows wiggling around, imploringly looking up at its master. "Why didn't you summon me at least once?"

"Because you're useless. You'd get annihilated by anything I couldn't handle myself."

"Even though that's mean to say, it's nice of you to look out for me! Though, that's really my job…" The prickly plant's eyes watered up and suddenly a jet of water flushed out, drenching Hisoka. "I'm sorry you have no faith in us, master!!"

"You stupid cactus!! You got me wet!"

"Riko, riko! We're a team, you need to remember that!"

Holding the bouncing cactus down by its cowboy hat to avoid the needles, Hisoka groaned. "I know."

Halting its hopping, Riko looked up at him worriedly. "You're not thinking of Kurikara still?"

Hisoka waved dismissively continuing his walk to the Central Prayer Area. "He's out of my league if all I could manage was you."

"Don't say that!! You're stronger now!" Mouth stretching into a wide smile, his shikigami looked very pleased with itself as it kept pace with him.

"And that means, what? That you grew a few centimeters?"

"Not only that, but I have two new attacks and I can handle stronger opponents, amigo!"

"Riko, don't bother me right now. I'm looking for—"

"Oh? What a pleasant surprise." The two eyes above his eyebrows closed politely, Rikugo bowed lightly to the boy. "Greetings Hisoka. If you're back to try taming again, might I suggest Mount Koho?"

As Riko bounced and waved its stubby arms in worried babbling, Hisoka blinked blankly at the suggestion. "What's there?"

"Hisoka, no! We shouldn't go there!"

When Rikugo offered no explanation as he looked at the hopping cactus, Hisoka sighed turning to his shikigami. "Why not?"

"Fierce Shikigami dwell there. They've got mucho mean attitudes and short tempers!"

"We're going anyway. Rikugo, could you please take this to my room? I'd like to leave now." Hisoka offered his bag of clothes to the astrologer, who took it bowing gracefully to him. "Certainly. Would you like for me to come along?"

"No. I think I can manage."

"That's right! We can manage, amigo!" Jumping in excitement, the cactus wiggled happily. Hisoka didn't notice that his Summons was beaming at the astrologer in gratitude as he hung his head to the side dreading the thought of spending any great length of time with his noisy summons.

"Good day, young Hisoka. I'll tell Master where you've gone."

"Thanks."

"Oh and you may need this." The fortuneteller held a map out to him. "Mount Koho can be very disorienting due to the magic of its residents. Be on guard."

Hisoka nodded and carefully pocketed the offered parchment.

* * *

Teiko fluffed her wings irritably. The winds had changed sour as if an ill omen had descended upon the kingdom of Hei Hei. She was the commander in charge of the king's personal guard, but today she was, as the rotation system required once a fortnight, on watch.

Her ears perked at the sounds of an intruder making no attempt to keep their footing quiet. Teiko smelled the air and immediately her hackles raised. One of Enma's children had dared to walk into their territory. _How foolish!_ Spreading her wings she hopped into the breeze, gliding towards the arguing she could clearly hear.

"Riko, when I asked for some water, it meant enough to cup in my hand, not several liters!!"

She landed quietly in the brush watching the diminutive Shinigami and a common riko. She chuckled softly to herself. It was laughable really that such a weak shikigami was all the human had to protect himself.

"I'm sorry, master! You just looked so thirsty…"

"And now I'm soake— Who's there?!" The boy's sharp green eyes pierced into the dark shrubbery Teiko had taken refuge in. She stepped forwards, and sat cleaning her face with a paw.

"It's a hei hei! Be careful!!"

Yawning and stretching harmlessly as a few seconds sluggishly passed, she stood circling the boy settling her wings defensively on her back as she inspected the spark of power flickering deep within the human. "Human, you have trespassed near our kingdom without a formal invitation." Holding the mischievous smirk on her feline face, she mused that if she had been anyone else, she would have already attacked to ward the boy off. Unfortunately, his true power was elusive, and evading her Sight. She had no idea what he was capable of.

"If you do not turn away now, you will not be allowed to leave until the King has demanded it."

"I'll take my chances. I'm looking for a suitable Shikigami." Despite his riko's protest, he stepped forward impertinently.

Outspreading her wings, her power poured forth from her as she bent into her defensive stance. "I will rip your throat out before you have a chance to go any closer to our sacred city!"

That stilled the boy as his hand tightened by his side. "Is this your test?"

"No one from our great kingdom would taint their hands with a foul creature of Enma, human!!" She growled out fur standing on end. "Be gone!!" Summoning a great hale of wind, she had not expected to blow the boy into a tree. He hadn't even bothered to shield. Was he mocking her?! But no, the boy crumpled, chin against his chest and making no motion to tell his panicked servant to quiet.

"Hisoka! Amigo, wake up!!" Realizing its master was fully unconscious, the cactus type turned. "Master, I'll protect you! No hard feelings, hei hei!"

"You think you can defeat me?" Curious, Teiko raised her head tilting it and looking down at the pathetic summons as it danced in place and its needles waved and seemed to shimmer.

Twirling and waving its arms in a stance, Riko smiled. "Exactly! Thousand Waterfalls, Wash Out!!"

A massive wave of water soared above her and she stood agape at the enormity of water it had summoned. Then she jumped flapping to try to gain some altitude to flee it, but was caught in the enormous cascade of water. She felt like she would suffocate as it slammed her into the ground and carried her swiftly away. When she finally surfaced, she howled in frustration as she struggled for the edges of the great valley river. The infernal servant had dumped her into the raging river about sixty meters away!

When she finally managed to reach the shore, she was several kilometers from where she had fallen in. She shook herself out as best as she could, fur matted to her body uncomfortably and feathers horribly out of place. She shivered from the cool mountain wind as she scrambled up the nearest tree to the tallest branch, set on gliding upstream. She toppled on her first jump realizing a little too late that the water made her too heavy to try anything remotely like flying. Taking it by foot, by the time she made it to the boundary of the kingdom, they had already passed into it leaving a sickening scent to trail them by.

She had never imagined a lowly shiki managing such a higher-end mid-level attack! The boy's ability was decidedly a lot more insidious than what she typically associated as Shinigami. A power that could not be weighed by Sight alone troubled her.

For now, she planned to catch up to them before they entered the Palace and kick them out. The King would be glad and probably not strip of her of rank at least.

Probably.

* * *

Nearly all of his summons crowded around him eager to find out what was in the basket. Kouchin slipped the photo album easily from his grasp as Tsuzuki tried to maintain at least three different conversations.

"Oh, what's this?" She smiled setting her biwa down where she had been sitting by the fountain. "A collection of finely detailed images of our master and his partner, how wonderful!" She opened it reverently.

"I wanna see!!" Tenko giggled happily, crawling on the fountain next to her. "Oh wow! They look so happy in this picure!"

At that point Suzaku, Kijin, and Byakko simultaneously stopped and turned to the young shikigami's happy cries.

"It seems brother's words came true afterall!" Tenko beamed up at Kijin who smiled down at her then towards the picture in question. "I only proclaimed that they would reap the benefits of a strong partnership."

"What are they doing anyway?" Byakko leaned obtrusively trying to twist his way around them to see the picture straight.

"Oh, congratulations, Tsuzuki!!" Suzaku crowed in glee scooping him up in her arms and hugging him tightly. "I knew he'd see the light."

"Wha— No, no, I think you're—" Tsuzuki tried before getting cut off.

"It's that?! Wow! Good going, master!" The guardian of the west cheered.

"Uhh." A little confused, their master raised his arms up. "Wait. Hisoka and I aren't together like that."

"But you're sleeping together in the same bed even!" Tenko hopped up with the album in hand and pointed at the picture in question. Tsuzuki flushed realizing that he hadn't finished looking at it after Hisoka had tried to damage it.

"That's… uh."

"Out with it!" The look in the fiery eyes of his Phoenix demanded it.

Sunlight spilled over their forms in the photo, where Tsuzuki was curled up protectively around Hisoka, his jaw against the younger one's head. One leg sprawled over Hisoka's, while Hisoka had pressed against him seeking warmth and assurance through constant contact.

"That's in the medical ward in Meifu. Hisoka's mental barriers were shredded by a vicious attack and I didn't want him to have nightmares."

"Where is your partner?" A careful Kouchin interjected warmly with just a hint of gentleness. "We had assumed that you both would be staying for a small duration of time."

It was when Tsuzuki turned to look down the walkway that he noticed Touda, who remained in the shadows on the open-air walkway some distance away with his arms crossed and leaning against the wall, but close enough to hear everything.

"He said he would be wandering around some place, while I visited. Tenkuu, could you tell me where Hisoka is?"

"Master, the boy left my protection just a few minutes ago."

"From where?" Tsuzuki felt like he had been punched in the gut, and pulled away from his summons.

"North gate, master."

Looking upset Tsuzuki wondered if Hisoka had ditched him in some misguided belief that he needed to go it alone.

Suzaku wrapped an arm around his waist pulling him against her and lightly touching his head and brushing a hand along his jaw, smiling for him. "He'll be alright, Tsuzuki."

"Yeah! We can catch him before he gets too far!"

"That won't be necessary, Byakko. Young Hisoka insisted that he needed no assistance."

Every eye turned to Rikugo's abrupt entrance.

"Young Hisoka has gone to Mount Koho to see if a hei hei would accept him."

"But they have such a hatred of Shinigami…" Kouchin quietly reiterated what the other Shikigami were thinking.

Bristling Suzaku took an aggressive step towards the astrologer, but a firm hand made her stay. Tsuzuki's voice was calm when he asked Rikugo, "Why did you let him go?"

Smiling faintly, Rikugo gave a helpless gesture. "Master, he has his own shikigami to take care of him. I offered my assistance and he refused. Besides, it was his Riko who insisted they go alone together far before you two returned. If anything wayward were to happen, young Hisoka's summons knows how to contact me."

Tsuzuki lightly touched the vibrant link and felt an echo of a headache call back. His summons crowded him again when he visibly relaxed.

"You have to trust that he can take care of himself, master."

It was wise advice, but Tsuzuki was hardpressed to let it alone even though his summons ushered him to the dining hall. They always knew when he was hungry.

"Daion, Taimo! There you are!"

The oily pot bopped to the side once and then stilled, as Taimo nodded affirming his presence.

Looking left and right, their master looked baffled. "Where is Sohryuu?"

Kijin provided a quick answer while the others passed looks. "He's meditating over a solution since the wormholes have only grown more constant since last you visited. He believes that the Celestial Emperor may grant him a vision that will provide a solution."

"Oh. An Gennmuu?" Scooping fried rice from the plate of food in front of him, Tsuzuki talked around a large mouthful.

"Who can say? He's gone off somewhere mumbling about tribes."

Feeling a jolt of pain in his side, Tsuzuki winced touching where he felt something pierce him, and looked at his fingers expecting blood. There wasn't any. He blinked as his vision went blurry.

All of them sensed danger for their master though they were all quite confused since there was no threat in sight.

"Tsuzuki?" Taimo asked in deep concern peering at his fingers and at his paling face.

Unexpectedly, his eyes rolled back and limply fell forward towards his food, only to be caught by the back of his shirt by a stoic Touda.

* * *

"We have to move as fast as we can, amigo!"

Holding his head as he glanced at the city marked on the map, Hisoka grimaced as his healing ability took longer than normal to wipe the pain away. "That cat really packs a punch."

"You can't judge them by their size, Hisoka." That his summons was actually admonishing him surprised him.

"Obviously." He glanced towards Riko hopping cheerfully near him. "What did you use on it?"

"Thousand waterfalls! It washes the enemy away so we can run!! Isn't that good?" It took Hisoka a moment to realize the grinning cactus was asking for praise.

"Sure. Thanks, Riko." He packed away his map sighing lightly as his summon whooped in joy. "The city should be less than a few kilometers away."

"Well we gotta put some speed into it, amigo! That hei hei'll be back! They're very territorial, you know!!"

A very deep growl came from the pure white cat with wings that stood many meters away in front of them. A single red line marking the top of its head between its slitted green eyes told them it was the very same hei hei who had attacked them earlier. Wet fur was matted to the thin frame of the angry shikigami. "Get out! Leave this place!! I have no time to waste on filth like you!"

"Hola! Why didn't you just attack us then, hei hei? You aren't very bright, are you?"

"CUTTING GALE." Power flared up around the small form, and leaves were scooped up in the heavy bout of wind whirling straight towards them and snapping hapless branches in its path.

"Shield!!" Hisoka yelled out activating the charm he had made on his own, and a dome of light shimmered around the two just big enough to envelope them both. The miniature tornado battered at the shield, but after several moments howling wind died away without cracking their protection. Hisoka was trying to hold his hand steady and breathe evenly, not wanting to lose. The hei hei looked even more drained huffing, but its pose was still fierce with its hackles raised. "Coward!!"

"Am I? You're the one who won't admit you're weak. Come on, Riko." He dropped the barrier and stepped around the hei hei giving her some room.

The cactus shot a pitying look at the winged cat as they passed right by it, still out of breath.

"Feather Strike!" Sharp feathered quills rained down on them from suddenly extended wings, but most missed their target though not because of Hisoka's reaction time. A quill was lodged painfully in his right side, but it had been Riko who had jumped into the way pre-emptively and Riko who was covered in innumerous feathers.

"Riko!!" Despite the stabbing pain, he grabbed his summons by the pot and carried it a very short distance away from the hei hei before his legs gave out. He mentally cursed his inability to get away as Riko twitched. "Riko. Just hold on!"

"Haha. Who's 'weak' now, scum? Those quills are poisoned with a paralysis serum. You're at my mercy!!"

Glaring at the tiny shikigami and gritting his teeth to prepare himself, he grabbed the one in his side and yanked the barbed quill out swallowing the tears into a pained hiss. "We'll get through this, ok Riko?"

"You won't be able to move in a few moments. I win by default!"

The pain was excruciating as his body slowly began to knit. Ignoring the hei hei in favor of pulling out the ones in his summons, Hisoka was angry at himself for misjudging it. He hadn't had any clue of the attack with his empathy insensitive to shikigami though that didn't make him feel any better. He should have avoided getting so close to it. As he excised the quills from Riko with care, he watched the 'wounds' bleed out water and hoped that the cactus was okay as he spread his fingers out above his shiki to heal.

"Boy!! I'm talking to you!"

Hisoka's head snapped up. "Shut the hell up. If you had the energy to attack, you would have already!!" He lowered his hands when he saw the wounds knit up. _Please, wake up!_

"a-amigo…"

"Riko? What is it?"

" gotta flush…" Suddenly a wave of water outpoured from every pore of his summons and Hisoka was left drenched again.

"Rrrriko!! I'm feeling great!"

"You stupid cactus!! I'm soaked again!!"

"Aww, master, you really do care about me!"

Just then remembering that they weren't alone by the presence he sensed, he sluggishly moved his head to look at the proud hei hei whose legs were shaking from the effort to stand, Hisoka grimaced holding his side as the wound itched and burned like a sore. "What's your name?"

"I would not lower myself to your level, Shinigami! We are not equals! You haven't won yet!!"

A small smile twitched at his lips at that, feeling very fuzzy and relaxed. "You sound like me." Then, slumped over exhaustion and poison having taken its toll.

* * *

"This fax must be wrong. What needs to be solved? Is it a soul retrieval or a demon banishing?" Terazuma frowned down at it. "Can't go barging into the Kid's family home without something to go by."

"It does say 'investigation', Hajime. Whatever it is, it's urgent."

They looked up at the blond-haired cheerful resident scientist entering the workroom sipping coffee. "Hey Wakaba! Judging by your look you have a new case?"

"Yes…" She said carefully briefly looking to Terazuma before continuing, "Watari-san. We've been sent orders to investigate Kurosaki Nagare near Kamakura City."

"The Kurosakis again? How terrible."

The two partners exchanged glances.

"What do you mean, Watari-san?"

"Oh. We forgot to tell you. Tatsumi and I took care of an unnatural pregnancy and sent Bon's mother, Rui, along in your area, while you two were busy with another case about half a year ago... I'm still not so sure the offspring was part-demon… The pregnancy would never have been so drawn out, but we needed to complete the investigation quickly before I could get any conclusive evidence. Ask the Gushoshin for a copy of the report if you need to. They'd understand the need and relevance to your assignment. We'd never told Bon, and never spoke of the case to anyone other than the chief really."

"You got any advice with dealing with the kid's family?" Terazuma's gruff voice didn't cover his discomfort in the slightest.

"Be wary of his uncle, Iwao. He's merciless. As for Bon's father," Watari paused collecting the pieces of observation to create a mosaic in his mind of his personality, "he's cold and detached. Something you'd expect with an old family like that. However it was unsettling that he didn't even blink or look remorseful when we told him who we were and that we would kill his wife and what could partially be his child."

"The hell kinda father is that?" Terazuma growled out as Wakaba shushed him.

Rather than answering the question, Watari decided to let a dirty secret air. "I suspect the attitude is because the Kurosakis commit infanticide with their firstborn daughters, giving the next boy born the same name as the daughter before him."

With a thunderous roar, Wakaba suddenly found her partner's shikigami standing where Terazuma once was. Watari choked on his coffee finding the sudden transformation peculiar and took several steps back. _That was certainly unexpected._

"Hajime! Seal!" Hands immediately at Terazuma's shoulders, Wakaba tightly held them as he fumed. "Calm down!!"

"How could you leave the bastard alive?!" Enraged eyes met tranquil golden ones, masked by glasses.

"You assume Bon's father is responsible? How naïve."

Holding out a spare shirt and slacks, Wakaba looked to Watari. "Who…?"

Terazuma flushed both at the injury to insult and his nudity, snatching the articles from her hand and slipping them on.

"It was the uncle. Regardless," Watari looked pointedly at the fax lying innocently on the table. "We were only told to 'investigate' his mother. You'll know what needs to be done once you see it as we did." He waved one-handedly after refilling his cup of coffee and headed to the door. "Have fun and say hello to Miya, the maid. She was ever so helpful in our investigation!"

"Thank you, Watari-san." The Suzaku gate miko smiled warmly waving back as the scientist left.

"I can't forgive a parent upholding a tradition like that." Her partner glared down at the fax.

Carefully touching his back as she leaned into him, Wakaba nodded. "Let's work on an alibi, Hajime." Knowing they might not need one because of the family's previous contact with their coworkers, his partner had suggested it mainly to soothe his temper before they headed out.

He calmed down, but his temper had smoothed into a fiery resolve.

The bastard responsible would find justice by the living's hands.

TBC.


	2. Tea and Empathy

_Author's notes: This was surprisingly difficult to pull together! EDIT: I forgot to add credit! I think it was the lovely **Trans**, whose idea I borrowed about Hisoka being part-Shiki, but the circumstances of his birth were different from hers. :) If it's not you Trans, let me know. ;;  
_

_Thanks for reading. And here's a basket of virtual homemade cinnamon rolls to you kind reviewers. Hope you like them!_

* * *

Put the elevator music on

Pull me back where I belong

The ambulance sings along

The fly on the wall

Doesn't know what's wrong

If I could forget myself

Find another lie to tell

If I had a soul to sell

I'd buy some time

To talk to my brain cell

_-Excerpt from__** Elevator Music**__ by __**Beck**_

* * *

A youthful maid had greeted them at the gate to the immense property and led them inside the huge house, seating them at the table across from the foyer and pouring fresh cups of green tea for them both.

Wakaba was in her full priestess regalia, while her gruff partner stayed more business professional in his suit and tie. Her spiritual senses lightly touched on decay and misery, symptoms of a fading old family as she sipped the tea.

The maid excused herself and exited traditionally, kneeling before opening and closing.

Not knowing whose prying ears would be on them, Wakaba meditated lightly finding her center and finding confidence in her peace, though the same could not be said for her partner.

Soon enough the wooden door slid open again and a blindfolded man bandaged from his neck down entered, settling himself on the opposite side of the table.

There was a courtly sort of silence between them as she felt his spiritual sense extend lightly to hers. Terazuma's own energy was a ball of tetchiness compared to the almost lax tenseness Nagare Kurosaki held about him. She could tell Terazuma was uncomfortable because of his restless harbored shikigami for it never liked him sitting still. She bowed lightly. "I am Wakaba Kannuki. I was given a vision of your malady from the gods and have come on a pilgrimage to eliminate it."

The bony and sickly looking man only kept his head straight and forward, giving no indication of whether or not he heard her.

"This is my associate, Terazuma Hajime."

Her partner nodded a bow.

After the head of household raised the steaming cup with his thin, pale hand to his lips, he finally spoke. "My malady is as old as this family, a curse given to us from a defeated kami. You already know who I am, Shinigami. What have you come for this time?"

* * *

Coming to, Tsuzuki sat up disoriented. He touched the link and was disturbed by how quiet it was, even if he could feel there was something there. Hisoka was unconscious.

"Tsuzuki-niisan! Are you alright?" Bright sky blue eyes looked at him imploringly.

Smiling for her, he reached out and patted Tenko's head. "Yeah, I'm fine. Don't worry, Ten-chan."

"But Taimo said that someone was hurt! But none of us could figure it out… I don't want Tsuzuki-niisan hurt." Dry ocean-colored eyes gazed at him asking him to explain.

"I'm really ok. Come here." He sat up pushing the blankets back and patted a spot near him. He was achy and his mind was fuzzy, but as far as he could tell nothing was amiss. Glancing at the sleeves of his bed kimono, he realized that he had to have been out for a while for them to have changed his clothes and put him to bed. "Tenkuu, is it nighttime?"

The building echoed quietly. "No, master, the sun is just beginning to rise."

"Oh." He frowned.

Worried and looking up at him, Tenko leaned into him, hands clinging to his clothes. "Tsuzuki-niisan. You slept the day away."

Petting the top of her head to comfort her, he smiled. "Thanks for watching over me, Ten-chan. I know I can depend on you."

She blushed lightly at the compliment, hiding her face in his chest.

A throat cleared briefly and Tsuzuki looked up to see a disgruntled Sohryuu with his very long hair undone and falling across his shoulders staring at him sternly.

"Sohryuu! It's good to see you." He smiled despite his shikigami's unkempt appearance.

Hearing her father's name, Tenko pulled away and hopped down with a happy smile, running to him and hugging his legs. "Father!"

His gaze softened as he looked at his daughter and brushed a stray hair behind her ear. "Tenko, I need to speak to Tsuzuki. Tell the cooks to prepare a breakfast for him."

"Ok!" Pulling back, she waved to Tsuzuki before dashing off as Sohryuu watched her leave.

"What's wrong, Sohryuu?" There was something unsettling in the gaze his summons was giving him.

"With our world in such a deteriorating state, warmongers are stirring trouble. Genbu has gone missing. He hasn't sent word to me in two weeks as he had arranged to do. The barrier around Tenkuu is failing…" Rubbing his temples, Sohryuu walked to a chair across from an identical one and sat down with a troubled sigh. "…and now you show up with the boy, who has gone to Mount Koho and will cause more internal strife to our already strained relationship with the hei hei."

"I'm sorry." With a far-off look, Tsuzuki's lips quirked in self-depreciation. "If I had known…"

"Nothing would have changed. The boy's bull-headed." Sohryuu gripped his knee and leaned forward. "No, what concerns me is that I felt something attack a shikigami contracted to you. We all felt it. However, this does not make sense, since Genbu is the only one unaccounted for and he can take care of himself." The dragon's eyes shot through him with the gravity of the situation. "Have you made a contract with another shikigami we aren't aware of?"

"No, Hisoka and I are linked. You felt him get attacked through me." His master looked upset and guilty, though not at all ashamed of what he just professed, but then he never quite knew how badly he was in trouble until someone enlightened him.

"Linked." Sohryuu repeated distastefully.

Tsuzuki sighed not understanding why Sohryuu disliked his partner so much. "Look, he was cursed before he was killed and it was tied to his empathy. Somehow it transferred to me. Yesterday I wasn't very careful keeping distance, and that's why I passed out."

"The boy has empathy?" Feeling a vague sense of lightheadedness, Sohryuu restrained himself from latching onto Tsuzuki and shaking him senseless. "Small wonder that the flowering winds came."

"Why is that a problem? It doesn't work on Shikigami." His master's eyebrows knit together in confusion.

"Tsuzuki. For as intelligent as you are, you are hopelessly ignorant. I suppose you wouldn't know why empathy is rare in humans?" Obviously the man didn't know exactly what sort of bond he and his partner shared. Certainly it was a bond of power, but it was much more than that.

Blinking once, Tsuzuki shook his head. "I only know that it's the rarest."

The dragon took a long breath closing his eyes as he lightly touched his forehead. "I'm concerned that you are linked to a boy who might be a descendant of an exile of Gensoukai."

For once his master seemed shocked into a moment of silence as though his thoughts had run far from him as his mind tried to process.

Silence was one thing Sohryuu greatly disliked. There was nothing difficult in the information he had imparted to his master. "Empathy is a common ability among shikigami, Tsuzuki. Did you think that we send humans through foolish tests and leave it to fate for a proper matching?"

"So you don't like Hisoka because he may be related to some shikigami that was banished a long time ago?" He stated slowly trying to understand. He himself knew why he was an abomination, being part-demon, but Hisoka's lineage would have been generations apart from whatever exile had procreated.

The leader of the Imaginary World looked at him gravely. "My instinct isn't wrong. He will cause upheaval the likes we haven't seen since the War."

* * *

"He's coming to! Hey amigo!"

Hisoka's eyes shot open as he sat up in the comfortable bed carefully flexing his hands and running them over the bandages on his side. "Riko? Where are we?" It was a little chilly in the windowless room they were in. Either they were underground or far enough away from the walls in direct contact with sunlight. Of course it might have something to do with recovering from a paralysis serum, or only having underwear on.

By the way his shiki was raising a stubby arm and pushing at its hat, he'd almost say it was nervous. "The hei hei who've been checking up on us have said that the King has given us sanctuary and ordered that you be patched up! Isn't that great, amigo?"

"What's—"

"Master Shinigami," a cheerful tabby with wings exclaimed suddenly in the room, severely startling Hisoka, "the King has invited you to dine with him at the Festival to take place in your honor!"

"What?" He stared at the tiny hei hei, confused at the sudden invitation.

"You have more than proven yourself to the King. Your clothes haven't been laundered and repaired yet, so the King has made us tailor you new ones!" The splotchy black and brown hei hei waved a paw toward a stack of neatly folded clothes sitting on a short bedside table next to him. "An escort will arrive to show you the way to the Feast!" It scampered out before Hisoka had a chance to react.

Rounding on Riko, he had a bewildered look on his face. "What's going on?"

"Rrriko, riko! Your guess is as good as mine! But isn't it great? Free food!"

Sighing irritably at the cactus' optimism, Hisoka reached the short distance to grab the clothes and slipped them on, top to bottom. Though the collar wasn't as constricting as it had looked, the shirt was baggy, reaching just the top of the knees of the pants, and long-sleeved, the cuffs of which fell past his hands. The baggy pants cuffed snugly around his ankles. He stood up to his full height and made an angry pained noise when he thumped his head on the ceiling.

"Master, master! Are you alright? Are you healing correctly?" His summons looked sincerely worried for him.

Rubbing the back of his head and keeping his back bowed down a little, he grimaced. He wasn't that tall. "I'm fine." Ever since bonding with Tsuzuki, his Shinigami healing rate did seem a bit lower, but only by a few minutes more. He checked the rest of the bare room, but only became more irritated by the lack of his familiar fuda. "They took my charms."

"Don't worry, amigo! Riko'll protect you! I'm on a roll!" Riko wiggled in place with a broad grin on its face, having swiped the extremely long matching scarf that Hisoka had left on the table and wrapped it many times around its main stem. He had to admit Riko looked festive in the green, blue, and orange scarf.

"You can't go barefoot, Hisoka. Put those on!" His prickly summons pointed at the ballet-esque orange-colored flats on the floor at the foot of the bed.

Begrudgingly, Hisoka slipped them on. He was aware that what he had put on looked very similar to Indian fashion, but he didn't know much besides the idea that he probably looked like a walking fashion disaster because of the colors.

"Excuse me, Master Shinigami. The King awaits you." A slightly larger hei hei with mottled orange on white fur had appeared, and turned down the hall tail flicking and curling at the very tip. "This way please."

Nodding sharply, he motioned for his shikigami to follow, who was very happy to oblige.

They traveled down an open-air hallway that opened to beautiful gardens on each side. The air was cool, and a fresh breeze tugged at his clothes and hair and brushed past his face. While Riko cheerfully filled the silence with punctuated observations about the scenery, Hisoka was trying to guess how large the complex was if they needed to escape. Before long, they entered a massive antechamber. Hisoka suddenly found himself surrounded on all sides by seated hei heis of all matter of natural color and size, some of which were in human avatars with tiny wings on their backs. Hundreds of eyes were on them though their chattering hadn't stopped in the least.

Their attendant led them to the far end of the room and as he bowed he gestured to a stool and high-back seat. "You will be sitting next to the King."

"Oh a place of honor! Sweet, amigo!" His shikigami practically bounded onto the stool, and it weaved with the cactus' excited movements.

Nodding, Hisoka took the larger seat looking briefly at the tall lean woman across from him before setting his gaze on the dark-skinned man with dark brown messy hair lightly mottled with blond. With a bright smile that reached those clear blue eyes, the well-dressed King towered over Hisoka and held a hand towards the food being brought out by servants. Many of whom were still in feline form but balanced on two legs to carry the food-ladened trays. "Welcome, Hisoka Kurosaki. Feel free to eat as much as you wish."

Feeling plain next to the King's sequined attire, Hisoka's face remained neutral. He was a bit bothered since he couldn't recall giving anyone his name since arriving at Mount Koho, but brushed it off since Riko must have shared it freely. "Thank you. I didn't expect to wake up to hospitality."

Inhaling food noisily, Riko was uninterested with talk with so much food in front of it, though in between bites the cactus would try to express how delicious it was by sound.

"You have won it fairly. We have no reason to deny you our generosity."

Frowning in some confusion, Hisoka bent his head. "The hei hei I fought was very clear that hei heis didn't like Shinigami, like myself." His plate was still empty as he hadn't tried to get anything yet.

Gathering up some choice beef sticks from the plates for herself, the tanned woman dressed in a tie-dyed toga of whorled pastels huffed a laugh at him, the beads dangling from her hair clicking together. Hisoka scowled at her. He knew he was being laughed at.

The King merely glanced at her briefly, his smile still in place. "Our people are very suspicious of outsiders and act accordingly. We like our solitude. However, every now and then someone is determined to invade our isolation. I have found it a much more diplomatic position to simply allow it. Those that come looking for a fight, leave disappointed. Those that come out of curiosity, leave sated. No harm done on either side." Noticing that their guest still hadn't taken any food for himself, the King waved a hand towards a plate of grilled fish with a calm tone. "Might I suggest Pepper Trout? It's really very good."

Feeling like a child, Hisoka plucked a few chunks of that and a good-sized portion of plain rice, before speaking again. "I was actually looking to contract a hei hei. But if no one wants to... I guess I can't force anyone to test me." He was disappointed with himself at the thought of failure, but he'd stick by his word. They weren't as hateful as he thought they'd be and he was completely taken off-guard. He tried a taste and was surprised by how good it was.

"We are a proud race. 'Contracts' are considered slavery in our country. Though I suppose you've never considered it to be that, hm?" The King was strangely very much like the emperor of fairy tales with his knowing kind smiles, and Hisoka's face burned in embarrassment.

"I… I thought that that was the purpose of shikigami. To serve humans, I mean." His voice was very quiet almost swallowed up by the din of chatter around him.

"Oh, but he's a great master!" Riko piped up. "Though he doesn't like being called 'master' and he gets all upset if I do something like protect him cuz I'm bound to as our contract states!"

Hisoka's face turned crimson as he scowled fiercely at Riko. "This coming from a shiki who can't control how much water I ask for!"

"Oh, but you need it!"

"I need a bath with my clothes on?" He growled in retort.

"Yep! And food too!" Leaning forward and hopping slightly, the cactus managed to slip a spoonful of curry and rice into his mouth.

Predictably, Hisoka sputtered, but instead of yelling at Riko he grabbed a cup of water and guzzled it down to try to wash the awful spice from his tongue and mouth. Because of his haste, he nearly choked on it and coughed while Riko vocally worried over his master. Hisoka in return gave the cactus a very withering look that his summons seemed immune to.

As they squabbled, the King's smile only grew broader, looking over to his former High Guard Commander with a soft look.

Flustered, Teiko managed to give the impression that she had bitten into something disgusting to cover face and set her chopsticks down, while the King turned back to the conversation, enjoying their antics. "Our 'purpose' is a matter of perspective. We prefer to maintain some control over the fate of our lives."

"He doesn't know cuz Tsuzuki wasn't clear with his explanations, right Master?" The riko was very clever, the King realized. Name-dropping such a famous person only spurned his curiosity about the youth.

Sighing, Hisoka chose to ignore his summons in favor of his food. "Even humans want control over their destinies."

"The Tsuzuki of Twelve, my… that is interesting."

"You've heard of him?" Hisoka asked before shoving another piece of fish in his mouth and couldn't help letting it roll around in his mouth. The taste was delicate like it would melt on his tongue if he held it there long enough, while the meat itself was very tender.

The woman answered heatedly, almost snarling, jarring Hisoka out of the pleasant reverie of food. "Are you a fool? Of course! It is no small matter for a man to gain and control twelve shikigami!"

The King chuckled softly and raised a hand to stop her tirade. She snapped her mouth shut and avoided looking at the ruler.

"What Teiko means to say is that he is well known across the land of Gensoukai and beyond to other nations of our realm."

Hisoka warily looked at her across the table recognizing the explosive anger when he saw it. "You're the hei hei I almost beat, aren't you?"

Worriedly glancing to the King, she sat up straighter when he made no motion to tell her to respond or not. Managing to reign in her anger over the near loss against a shinigami, she muttered an affirmation though there was a very dangerous edge to it.

The King discretely brushed his knuckles over her tightly fisted hand on the table. She knew the law as well as him. He was simply trying to look out for her and hoped she understood.

"The fight was a draw, wasn't it, Master?" His cactus had stopped wobbling the chair when it asked.

The fair-haired teen shrugged. "I guess." Riko had been mostly unhurt at the end of the fight. He could have ordered his summons to beat her, but that had screamed foul play to him and winning that way wouldn't have settled well with him.

The King was determined not to look at her again though a faint smile curled his lips and his eyes were unfocused for a few seconds. Some of Teiko's stiffness drooped from her shoulders. His plate was clean and he was very interested in knowing more about the boy before he left. "So how do you know Tsuzuki? Is he a coworker?"

"He's been my work partner for almost two years." With some success he ignored Riko's happy quiet humming, surrounded as he was by the noise of hundreds speaking.

"Does he treat his contracted Shikigami as well as the rumors say?" It was an honest question enough, Hisoka thought, but he wondered if the King was really asking that.

"They all adore him," he answered flatly, almost defiantly, but his esteemed host only nodded complacently lifting a hand to call attention to the waiters to clear their part of the table. Before Hisoka could thank them for the grand meal, the man stood shimmering under the soft sunlight dappling through the south-facing blinds behind them. The crowd immediately went quiet as if someone had shouted for their silence.

"Everyone, let it be known that as I am King and Ruler of our most proud and dignified land, even I must bow to the High Codes." He raised his glass high. "A toast for the wonderful soon-to-be-wedded couple!"

TBC.


	3. Marriage and Mystery

_Author's notes: Sorry this is so short! Enjoy. I was stumbling over Terazuma's character. Hope nobody's surprised about Riko...  
_

_Thanks for reading. A toss of candy to reviewers. :)  


* * *

_

In a way, I need a change  
From this burnout scene  
Another time, another town  
Another everything  
But it's always back to you

Stumble out, in the night  
From the pouring rain  
Made the block, sat and thought  
There's more I need  
It's always back to you

But I'm good without ya  
Yeah, I'm good without you

_--Excerpt from_ "Shattered" by **O. A. R.** (Of A Revolution)

* * *

Standing up abruptly, Hisoka clenched his hands and opened his mouth to refuse, but a deafening roar of cheery well-wishes and purry congratulations overswept him, swallowing his confused protests into the loud din around him. He glared at the King, who only smiled in return and easily moved past his countrymen with Teiko at his side like a boat cutting through water.

Hisoka knew they wouldn't part so easily for him. Then they started to sing as they pushed towards him

"It's a wedding, a wedding! Yeah!

Blessing, blessing all around 'cause

A marriage contract is held 'til death

with love that knows no bounds

A soft humming was around him and Hisoka felt ill when the hei heis pressed near him. Using the respite in singing, he yelled, "I'm NOT—" He continued to yell his objection but he could only feel his mouth move and hear nothing but the joyful singing. And made a startled yell when he suddenly lost his footing

"Love, love, love, love, love, love

knot their hearts together!

Listening in horror, he tried yanking and kicking free of their firm holds as he was pushed several feet above the ground by many, many hands. "Riko!!!" Calling for his shikigami's help though it couldn't be heard and craning his neck he saw that he was being effortlessly passed along away from his shikigami towards the exit the King and Teiko left through.

"For sorrow, sadness can't be thrown away

So happy, merry times call for joy!

"Riko get us the hell out of here!!" But yell as he might, his voice couldn't reach the jumping cactus, who was waving at him excitedly over the clamor and his command went unheard. He was passed under the archway of the door as he frantically tried to flee from the contact, and Riko was no longer in sight.

As the swarm passed through the open-air the calm breeze had turned violent whipping around them as they marched forward clutching onto the struggling Hisoka, repeating themselves. "Let go of me! I never agreed to this!!" He hollered at the suffocating faces around him.

And the hei heis parted, flowing gracefully together out of the room. Suddenly, but gently, left on his feet, Hisoka stumbled regaining his balance. With the last of their singing and tails, the double doors to the cool chamber slammed shut and Hisoka could hear something heavy grinding against it. Even attempting to open it was impossible to consider, knowing the amount of shikigami lying in wait just behind it. He looked for any exits as his eyes searched the long expanses of gray stone walls lighted by faintly glowing globes hung by posts. This was ridiculous! He couldn't be expected to marry a—

"Calm yourself. You wished to gain a hei hei as an ally, correct?"

Knowing he had been trapped all too easily, Hisoka was furious, but he was also very relieved that his empathy was completely immune to shikigami or he might have woken up already married. He turned to the ever-smiling King still holding Teiko's hand gently, standing on the right of her. "By forced marriage? How is that any better than a 'contract'? She hates me!"

"If you wish to leave without her freely offered hand, you may go. Her pride knows she was evenly matched and knows that you deserve her companionship in light of your good sportsmanship." Teiko met Hisoka's gaze unflinchingly.

"This is stupid!" Admittedly, it was very hard to digest what he was being told when he was still angry over being manhandled. "There's no way she'd be willing to be my shikigami!"

The King's smile froze as he turned stern. Hisoka backed up a step, reminded of the steely gaze Sohryuu often gave him. "This is not a normal contract of master and servant where the servant is compelled to obey. You and she will be equals, and she will have the ultimate choice of whether or not to obey. This is a unifying contract." Hisoka wondered if that was why Suzaku had been able to stay in control of herself when Tsuzuki had temporarily gone mad. Then he thought of Tsuzuki 'marrying' Suzaku in full ceremony, and it struck him as absurd.

The King grinned at him, his serious expression changing swiftly to a kinder one as he moved closer to Teiko. He laid his arm gently behind her and held the shoulder farthest away from him. "Normally, this contract is reserved for shikigami couples being wed. However, only in our country will you be married. You'll find that a marriage contract between human and shikigami is seen as obscene by other sovereigns and the married status is annulled elsewhere."

Green eyes scanned their body language and realization filled them as a cold dread hit him, anger leaving him at the thought of splitting lovers apart. "But you—"

Clenching her jaw, she glared at him severely, clutching the King's hand tightly and stepped into the arm holding her, but continued to say nothing. Hisoka faltered very confused at her behavior.

"Hisoka. She's always rebutted my proposals, preferring to remain as my guardian than become a figurehead. Truth be told, I cannot expect to keep her with her hot temper and free spirit."

Hisoka eyed them warily, unsure what to think. When Teiko finally softened her look to that of stubborn resolve, he nodded in silence. "I'll do it."

"Then take her hand, Hisoka. Tell her what you expect from her and she will do the same. That will be the terms of the contract and should either of you break the terms then the bond dissolves. After that a kiss—"

"No."

"Skin contact is not negotiable. There must be a kiss or some other highly emotional-physical event to set the bond." The King waved a hand. "If you insist, kiss each other's hand and that will do."

Teiko finally moved from the King towards Hisoka with a calm face, offering her hand which he took. "I never thought I'd meet a Shinigami both ambitious and humble, or strong-spirited as you. I will not pretend to be glad to bond with you, but this is an opportunity to see how the world is. I will follow and guard you when you respectfully ask for my help," her face darkened as her teeth ground together in a hiss, "but if you ever ask me to join you in bed you will sorely regret it."

Hisoka's face reddened embarrassed and angry at her illicit suggestion. "Why would I ask for that?!"

"Because humans, alive or dead, are as disgusting as snake shikigami!!

"I would never ask for that from you!!"

The King stepped closer to them, both of his hands raised and bringing their attention to him. "Now, now. Calm yourselves. Before we continue I'd like for you to agree to her terms."

"Yes, I accept them."

The two seemed to be waiting for something from him. Then he remembered he was supposed to say his part.

" I need a strong, reliable shikigami."

After another pregnant pause, Teiko asked snidely, "That's it?"

He looked at her then frowned. "I already have a defensive type shiki and I'm weak at fuda magic, so it'd be nice to be able to defend myself. You're very stubborn and I admire that in you, but you're going to have to deal with Tsuzuki courteously. He's my partner."

"That shouldn't be hard." She raised Hisoka's hand to her lips and dropped a light kiss. "May our union bless us."

As she extended their held hands back to Hisoka, he lowered his head and lightly brushed a kiss to a knuckle, mumbling the blessing and snatching his hands away when she let them go.

"May your union bless you, Teiko and Hisoka." The King looked pleased.

The doors slammed open, startling the newlyweds, but instead of a roar of congratulatory remarks the clicking of boots floated into the cavernous room. A large cowboy hat came into view sitting atop the head of a thin, bronze-skinned nine year old child wrapped only in a brightly colored clingy scarf.

"Master, CONGRATULATIONS!! " She crowed happily, arms outstretched and barreled into Hisoka hugging onto him. "I've always wanted to do this!!"

Staring wide-eyed down at the top of the hat that was no longer too big and knowing exactly who it was, Hisoka stammered, "R-riko!!"

The cactus in human avatar spun away holding her cheeks and bounced in place on one foot as she grinned at the King and Teiko before turning to Hisoka still grinning like a loon. "I've leveled up! Rrrrrrrriko! Isn't it great?!

* * *

Neither Shinigami stilled at their cover being blown. They had been expecting it, but having it confirmed would make their mission much easier. Removing her hands gracefully from the teacup, Wakaba resettled her hands in her lap still pleasantly polite. "We are here to investigate you."

Nagare Kurosaki took a careful sip of his tea, setting it back down and tucking his hands into his sleeves. "What sort of investigation would Shinigami be interested in?"

The man with slanted gold eyes huffed, failing to control his amusement.

The head of the Kurosaki household knew that nothing good was brought from Shinigami involvement. His second wife was gone, but he was content to know she was no longer suffering.

Shooting a warning glance at her partner, Wakaba's expression didn't change from its politeness. "I've noticed that your aura does not seem entirely human. May I have Terazuma check your body for signs of possession?

The man seemed to think on it before answering. "How is my son faring?"

From the minute changes in their energy, he could tell that neither were expecting that question. Wakaba's face was carefully blank though her smile faltered a moment. Terazuma tipped his head a little to the side, eyes fixed harshly on the man in front of him, itching for a damn cigarette, and answered gruffly when his stunned partner remained silent.

"The kid's alright. Had a bit of a rough time settling in once he transferred in." Rubbing his middle knuckles of his right hand together, he huffed again, not bothering to keep the condescension out of his voice. "Don't know why you would care though."

Taking a careful measured sip from his tea, Nagare remained stoic all through the agonizingly brief description. It was curious how hostile this man, this Shinigami, was towards him without having any prior contact with him. Had his son soured their first impression or was it the other Shinigami's discovery of the family's dark secret? "Why wouldn't I?"

"Because the kid sure as hell doesn't act like he came from a caring family."

"Terazuma, go outside please."

He started at the sound of his surname from her lips, standing. "I need a smoke anyway." With one last glare at the head of house, he stormed out cigarette already in hand.

After taking another sip of tea, Wakaba smiled cheerfully. "Excuse my associate. What he meant is that Hisoka-kun barely talks about his family if ever. We only found out about his heritage during the Archery Competition a few years ago. He was reticent to speak about it."

The head of the household nodded. "Did he win?"

She shook her head. "His bowstring snapped on him, spraining his wrist. His partner won it."

The man's lips quirked infinitesimally, before flattening back. "It was sabotaged." It was neither accusatory or an implied question, merely a statement.

She nodded. "Forgive my impertinence, but was he talented at martial arts?"

"Well-trained." He stated, as if he was correcting her.

"I see." She was beginning to see why their young coworker was so cold towards others. His father seemed proud of the fact, but she couldn't really tell with how emotionless he sounded.

After another long silence, he spoke again. "I believe you wished for your partner to examine me."

Wakaba nodded. "It will take a few days before we perform an examination because it takes some time to set up the purification ceremony, just in case it's needed. I will also need traditional herbs for warding spirits away and a place to purify myself. The house harbors a lot of old kami." It was the easiest way to describe the miserable aura of pain and rot the house held.

He nodded slightly. "My maids will procure the necessary herbs. However, I suggest you prepare yourself for the room I believe may be best suited to your needs." He rose slowly as if it pained him before straightening, no sign of discomfort in his face.

Nodding Wakaba stood gracefully. "Is it the family altar room?" She knew many old families had strong wards on that particular room to protect the sanctity of any lingering spirits of their ancestors.

"Yes. However, you should be aware that you cannot enter that room until sunrise, and, despite whatever preparations you have, you will only have to sunset to complete them before the wards prevent your exit."

"Prevent exit, not entry?" That set an alarm off to Wakaba. Why would anyone ward their family altar room to prevent exit??

"Yes. My apologies, but I have matters to attend to that were interrupted by your visit. "

She bowed. "Thank you for your gracious hospitality."

"Only fools are gracious to gods of death." It was not a reprimand, but it was stated with a harsh undercurrent. Nagare exited through the sliding door he had entered through.

After he left, she smiled at the maid who came in to clean up the table. She exited through the shoji to the garden to see her partner smoking on the rock.

"Hajime."

He gave her serious look, nodding her unasked question. He had heard everything thanks to his sensitive ears.

It wasn't until she hopped off the porch that he took the smoking cigarette out of his mouth, speaking quietly, wary of the possibility that staff were around. "The bastard's hiding something. Something big, I bet."

"In three days, we'll figure it out, Hajime."

He nodded. "There's something else bugging me."

She tilted her head up to look at him better, curious.

"He's itching to come out and burn everything down."

"Kuro-chan?"

"Yeah. It's the smell of this place. Whatever it is, it ain't a demon or he'd've attacked the bastard."

She reached out and lightly placed a hand on his. "If Kuro-chan doesn't like this place, then it's a good thing we're here. Whatever is haunting this family will be rooted out."

As his summons growled in his head, Terazuma looked up at the sunset. "Yeah."

TBC.


	4. Guilt and Pollos

_Author's notes: I really do appreciate your reviews!! Thank you. I know it was risky having Riko as a girl, but I figured that you can't really call a cactus male or female. More Kurosaki back plot! :O I'll give credit to __**Luna**__ for prodding me to Riko's gender. _

_Also, Kouchin's biwa… I don't know how many frets is on it, however the close up there in vol. 10 makes the neck look like a guitar. ;; _

_

* * *

  
_

…Oh no, what's this?

A spider web, and I'm caught in the middle,

So I turn to run,

The thought of all the stupid things I've done,

And I never meant to cause you trouble,

I never meant to do you wrong,

And I, well if I ever caused you trouble,

And oh no, I never meant to do you harm.

Oh no, I see,

A spider web and it's me in the middle,

So I twist and turn,

Here am I in my little bubble…

_- Excerpt from _"Trouble"_ by __**Coldplay**_

_

* * *

  
_

While the previous 'doctor' and his 'assistant' were here, Nagare had surmised why they were familiar with some details of his deceased son that complete strangers should not be privy to and yet not be aware of the family's curse. Miya, a trustworthy maid, had told him that they hadn't known of his daughter, when they were surprised that he was visiting her grave. They had thought he was visiting his son's grave.

Was it such a shock to visit both of his children's graves? It shouldn't have been as their gravestones sat next to each other in the family graveyard's section dedicated to the Kurosaki children who never lived to adulthood.

He closed the door to the family altar room, and sat to meditate as he felt the sun slip further away. One thing was certain. These Shinigami, while more aware of his family's situation, were as clueless to the situation as the others.

Kneeling, he settled himself properly on the cushion in the center of the covered padded floor. He had to think on something other than those Shinigami before the monster rose from its daily slumber. He latched onto the first that came to mind: His daughter and the heavy guilt that came with it. He remembered how he had been raw with grief and anger at her passing, painfully aware that the newborn had not lived long enough to open her eyes. Had he wanted to follow the family tradition of only firstborn males, he would have had her aborted before she was aware of pain. Had he realized why the superstition was even in place, why the firstborn could never be female, he would have disowned her and given her a safe place to live.

His brother's excuse had been patently worthless. It was the singular event that had created the rift between the two brothers, or rather Nagare's view of Iwao was irreparably damaged. His brother had his cruel moments, but Nagare never thought he would murder his own niece because of foul superstition. His brother couldn't know the reality of being heir to the Kurosaki line or he wouldn't be so eager to take his place.

The vengeful god Yatonokami was sealed inside the body of the Kurosaki head of household, causing great suffering until the god could be passed to the next heir.

He gripped his knees in painful remembrance as he felt familiar cold scales brush against his skin. It could only be his imagination as the curse of the family slept until night became complete.

He was also guilty over his delicate son, who had been completely rejected by his mother. He could never love Rui as much as Kasane, couldn't bear to love her properly after Kasane's suicide. The sad truth of it was that Rui's jealousy of the affections he had given to his son and the bitterness of her situation, never to equal her sister in his heart, consumed her. She had lashed out, completely rejecting the son she had borne him. After a few abusive instances, he determined that the best way to protect his son was to lock him away, out of his mother's sight, with the best tutelage he could buy for his son's education.

A stirring rose from the depths of his mind, coming up and up until he could no longer see the room. As always he could not resist the monster's ability to control his senses.

It had been kinder that Hisoka had died before reaching the age of succession.

_**Is that in certainty, Nagare?**_

_My son… is better off._ It had completely enraged the god when his son had passed away. It was still true even now. Sibilant laughter surrounded him as he calmly remained kneeling.

_**As your body rots away, you shall be cursing him! **_

Blood pounded in his ears as he felt the angry Yatonokami push out from any opening it could, its vile body unable to escape the prison of his body. He screamed, body contorting as the angered kami abused it thoroughly, ritualistically whispering innumerable humiliations, past or present as if they weren't already gouged into his mind.

* * *

_It was a full moon out, and Nagare was restless. The angry god had had its fill two nights before so it would cause no trouble tonight. The head of household slipped on his outer kimono over his sleeping clothes and stepped into his slippers. He hadn't visited Hisoka's grave for a week and it pained him that he had missed his weekly visit because of the curse._

"_Father?"_

"_Why are you awake?" He turned to see the slight form of his son, barely five, staring imploringly up at him. He folded his arms one over the other to prevent unconscious contact. His son was peculiarly perceptive, and whether he was a natural psychic or not didn't bother Nagare in the slightest. It was the fits his son had, provoked by touch, that disturbed him. How would he properly marry and carry on the Kurosaki lineage if he wasn't able to…_

"_Father… seemed sad."_

_Present thought forgotten, Nagare nodded and walked past him. "Come. Have a walk with me."_

"_Okay."_

_It was a typical midsummer night. The cicadas were all asleep but their cousins, the crickets, were merrily chirping along with their neighbors, the frogs. Lightning bugs filled the air, blinking in and out of existence, representing dreams if myths were to be believed._

"_Where are we going, Father?" Unable to make out the slight incline lined with stones that made up the path in the family graveyard, Hisoka stumbled a few times but never once tried to hold onto his father._

_Nagare knew his son had never liked the dark, so he was walking slowly, allowing his son the option of being as physically near as he wished. Making no comment when his kimono was brushed against, Nagare didn't answer since it would present itself in a few more moments. _

"_You want to know?" He stopped and looked pointedly at the gravestone._

"_We're visiting Hisoka's grave."_

_The boy let out a strangled noise and abruptly stepped away. "Hisoka's not dead!"_

_Tilting his head and looking down at his terrified son, Nagare smiled at the child's misunderstanding. "Hisoka-kun, this is your older sister's, Hisoka-chan's, grave. Do you understand?" _

_Nodding hesitantly his son stood up properly and looked down at the gravestone, incredulity in his tone. "We have the same name?"_

"_Yes." It seemed that showing his son his sister's grave had lessened the weight of guilt from his mind. It relieved him that his son didn't hate him for giving him his sister's name._

"_Why?" Hisoka's small fingers traced over the lines representing 'secret' on the gravestone._

_Looking down at his delicate son, he smiled painfully. "I was very sad that she died." _

"_I know that." A pair of eyes glowing like a cat's in the moonlight met his gaze soberly. "Why do you think I'll hate you, Father?"_

"_Because you were born into a family with dark secrets." Nagare wondered why, if his eyes unnaturally would reflect light, couldn't he see the path? "In time, you will grow to understand what I mean."_

* * *

Tsuzuki woke up parched with the heat of the sun lazily stomping on him. The late afternoon sun was peeking through the leaves of the ginkgo tree that he was leaning against, though only the buzz of grasshoppers and dragonflies could be heard. It was probably too hot for the birds. Sitting up, he brushed a hand against his head. Sensing one of his shikigami, his face split into smile at Byakko who was snuggled up to the tree and sound asleep.

The sound of a musical twang brought his attention to a poised Kouchin who strummed her biwa with her plectrum under the shade of an immense umbrella. Noticing she caught his attention she bowed her head lightly. "Master, would you like some chilled peach blossom tea?" Her hand lightly gestured to the tray sitting on the fountain edge near her.

"Yes, Kouchin. Thank you." He stood up stretching his arms up and out for a moment to soothe the crick in his neck, and easily closed the distance to sit next to her under the umbrella. He was rather thirsty now that he thought about it and took a large drink to erase the dryness from his mouth.

"Perhaps you would like some entertainment?" Her plectrum strummed again almost listlessly in the heat of the summer. Tsuzuki was reminded again how strange time was between the realm of the living and imaginary. Sometimes it was spring here during winter in Meifu, but considering it was late fall in Meifu it should be late winter, right? There was no pattern that he had ever figured out.

"That sounds good to me."

"Then I shall tell you the tale of the Treachery of the Snake, and how the Snake was brought to be banished by the Dragon Protectors of Gensoukai. It is an old story. Older than the war that fractured our country and scorched our world. The first war of the Four Great Wars…" The large flat wooden pick, as if to underline her words, struck a discordant chord.

Tsuzuki hadn't heard this story before and had an expression of attentiveness as she began.

"During the time of the Friendly Dragons, Hosogyokumon was once a King of our realm. His rule had been strengthened by eons of unrest. He was cunning and resourceful, but he had two unquenchable lusts: beauty and power."

There was a brief interlude of plucky soft music and Tsuzuki imagined a powerful warrior atop a hill with flags snapping above him in the wind. As she drew the plectrum ferociously across the strings he blinked out of his daze, right as her drawn out singing started again.

"Then came the day when Hosogyokumon became enthralled by the Dragon of Water. His attentions were harshly rebuffed, but the Snake sought to capture his ethereal beauty. Unwilling to be caged, the Dragon refused twice and was twice-cursed."

Kouchin's fingers quickly traveled up and down the neck as the rhythm of her plucking suddenly picked up and became frenzied. Tsuzuki's heart sped listening to a master of the Chikusen biwa. He leaned closer, hooked on every drawn out syllable as she continued singing.

"Hating his fate, the Dragon refused even as his people suffered. It was the Dragon of Fire who saw the famine and demanded an answer from the Dragon of Water. Discovering the curses, the Dragon of Fire became enraged, storming out to challenge Hosogyokumon."

Kouchin looked lost in memory as she twanged fury from the biwa, her quick fingers and plectrum leaving a phantom trail of movement. With one last draw across the chords, she leaned back to sing again.

"There were bloody battles as the Dragon of Fire and his allies cut a path to the powerful first King, but the war was short-lived when the powerful Dragon's sword sliced through the Snake's lance. The wounded King was banished, and so disappeared. The Dragon who vanquished him became the sovereign known as the Dragon King."

The story finished, but the music didn't as Kouchin gently soothed any nerves her playing may have agitated. She opened her eyes with one last pluck and smiled at her master.

"Wow! So it really happened? Kurikara and Sohryuu were best buds?" The bright voice that belonged to an awake Byakko slowed Tsuzuki's whirling thoughts. The pieces were almost meeting up but he couldn't quite figure out how it added up.

Kouchin nodded serenely to Byakko.

" 'One banished from home and one banished by blood…' huh. So Hosogyokumon is part of the catalyst, but the rest? Banished by blood can mean different things."

"What're you talking about, Tsuzuki?" With legs crossed and leaning on elbow-locked arms, Byakko's ears were perked in curiosity.

"A Tenguu fortune. Wakaba warned me to watch Hisoka, just in case he was pulled into this, but since he's out on his own I can't really do much for him!" Tsuzuki smiled sheepishly, his chuckle ringing hollow.

Kouchin's and Byakko's faces drooped perceptively. It was tough hearing their master laugh it off like that.

"You were saying one was banished by blood? Banish, in this case, could mean death, instead of the usual expulsion from a place, right?"

Tsuzuki shook his head. "I don't know. It's not a lot to go by, so it's all speculation. You know how fortunes go, Byakko. Only in hindsight can we understand it. So let's not worry about it now. I'm sure once Hisoka finds out that the hei heis aren't friendly he'll be back soon."

With a tight smile, Tsuzuki finished off his tea as his summons exchanged dubious looks.

The master's partner had already been gone for a little over three days. If the boy wasn't back by tomorrow, then something else had taken his attention.

"Well! Enough of that Tsuzuki! Let's go to the water gardens. I'm sure we can find something fun to do there!" Byakko grinned at his master, pulling him along.

"Wait." Byakko dropped his hand letting his master go as he turned and walked back towards Kouchin. "That was beautiful song-playing. Thank you Kouchin."

"You're very welcome." The biwa player bowed her head lightly. "It is always a pleasure to play for you. Have fun in the gardens."

"I will!" With a competitive gleam in his eyes, Tsuzuki suddenly took off running in the direction that Byakko had dragged him, calling over his shoulder. "C'mon Byakko, I'll race you!"

"You're on!" The Guardian of the West responded cheerfully, knowing full well that while Tsuzuki was in the lead they'd get horribly lost. He wouldn't dream of ruining the fun his master had. His master and friend needed all the joy he could get in the short time he was here. Byakko knew that he wasn't the only one concerned with the tenuous grip on life Tsuzuki seemed to have.

After so many years of service none of them had succeeded in re-kindling the desire to live with joy in his heart. It seemed his fate would rest in the hands of their master's partner.

* * *

The King had assured him that he wasn't actually married, but it still bothered him. He wondered what Tsuzuki would think if he knew. He sighed irritably as he strolled towards the boundary of the Hei Hei's country with his two summons.

"Master, master! Are we going back to Tenkuu?" The bubbly voice of Riko called towards him as she ran five meters in front of them and back, too hyped up about traveling to stay still. "I can't wait to show off to Tenko!"

"Pipe down, you impertinent brat! He wouldn't dare to return until he's taken me across the country!" huffed a disgruntled winged cat, preferring that form over the two-legged one.

"What if he thinks it was enough of an adventure?" Riko answered cheekily, giggling as Teiko glared at her.

"I would hope he knew it was in his best interest to heed my advice to continue traveling" was the gruff reply.

Hisoka was a little annoyed that they were talking as if he wasn't there. "Cut it out, you two. We're not going back yet." And he'd rather not deal with the extra attention Tsuzuki would shower on him at the moment. Only a few days apart and he missed him, even if he could have felt him if he just reached out to touch the bond. It wasn't like Tsuzuki would ignore him, would he?

"But Tsuzuki would be happy for you!! I just know it, master! Or maybe you're shy?"

"Shut up!" He blushed a little, grimacing in embarrassment.

Teiko raised an eyebrow at Hisoka, but continued walking beside him. "Do you know of the shoki that live where we are headed?"

"Demon slayers?" Hisoka had only heard of the benevolent kami, Shoki.

She stifled the sigh directed at her master's ignorance, trying to keep her pace slow to stay at his left side. "While they are holy creatures, they do not bother themselves with demon slaying, instead priding themselves on recording our world's history. However, since the Great War, I have heard that their attitude towards any creature, not of their kind, has become incredibly hostile."

Riko's eyes were downcast as she shuffled on Hisoka's other side more subdued. "Papi told me that not very many were left after the fires of Kurikara's fury."

Teiko nodded. "Much of their precious work was lost when their libraries burned."

Silent, Hisoka looked ahead for uneven ground as he continued to walk between his summons.

"Isn't this about the time when we start getting attacked?" Riko mused absently.

"You ungrateful plant! Don't jinx us!!" Teiko's wings perked up defensively, twitchy at the prospect.

The chartreuse-eyed Riko pouted and tucked in her arms, running in place. "You're as cranky as master!"

The girl received only a haughty chuff in response. Hisoka was glad that they kept themselves preoccupied with chitchat because it meant that he could spend more time thinking, even if his thoughts were predominantly Tsuzuki-centric, and the fact that they were mostly about his partner made him increasingly self-conscious. Was that supposed to happen? Was it a product of the bond or of his feelings? He knew that if had spent all this time thinking about it and still hadn't found an answer then in all likelihood he probably wouldn't on his own. He didn't exactly know how he'd bring it up the subject to Tsuzuki either.

Soon the forest, which had been thinning as they moved onwards, fell behind them as a clearing opened up in front of them. As far as they could see, there were trees sparsely dotting the very flat land, except where they lined up thickly where the river went. Seeing the tall grass ahead, Teiko changed into her human avatar. "Where the forest ends is where the Dominion of the Shoki begins. We must be on guard."

They continued on in relative silence as Hisoka pushed through the chest-high grass, trying to focus on his surroundings. Riko seemed oblivious to the tension of her two companions and continued babbling about the scenery having to hop to keep her head above the dried waves of grass, her hat hanging onto her back by a string wrapped around her neck. Besides the rustling, it was eerily quiet and that set Hisoka on edge.

"Oh, there's ruins around us!"

"Be silent." Teiko hissed at the still-hopping shikigami.

"But wh—" There was a loud crackle, and Riko was gone. There had been no screams, absolutely nothing but shocking silence.

"Riko!" Reaching forward instinctively, Hisoka was grabbed harshly by his other shiki. "Let me go! I have to help her!"

"Idiot! Try summoning her out." Teiko released him.

Without arguing, Hisoka shrugged the arm that had been held, holding his hands up in prayer. Wind swirled around him as he focused and chanted. "Of the gods that protect me, I beseech you. With the raging floods and dances of needles, come forth, Riko!"

A steady line of drumming followed by a wave of water marked the cactus' entrance. "Rrrrriko! That's me!!" Twirling in place with stubby arms up, the wave continued past the cactus and drenched Hisoka and Teiko, flattening the grass wherever it touched.

They both gave Riko the evil eye.

"Whoops, sorry amigos!" The cactus chuckled sheepishly.

Taking in a deep breath, Teiko raised an open hand up and snapped it closed, summoning a hale of warm air that almost knocked Hisoka off his feet. But the wind brought with it dust and debris, and Hisoka bent over covering his face with both arms when he started to cough and his eyes began to sting.

When it finally stopped, Hisoka's clothing was damp and caked with dirt. He glared at the tall shikigami. "What the hell did you do that for?"

"We were wet. Now we're not." Teiko stated objectively, scratching thin clumps of dirt off her face.

Hisoka grumbled. He wasn't in the mood to start fighting now. "Whatever. Riko, what was on the other side?"

Switching back to her human avatar, Riko tilted her cowboy hat back and grinned, enunciating with her hand movements. "It was so cool! There was a HUGE building and chickens breathing fire at me, telling me to scram!! I was about to go out the barrier when you summoned me." Then with a decidedly thoughtful look, Riko raised an arm, a hand open towards her master and grinned. "Water blast!"

Hisoka was back to looking like a soaked cat, sputtering. "RIKO."

"You're clean now! And the fire-breathing pollos, can't hurt you now!" Turning to Teiko, she raised her arm up higher. "You want some?"

"No thank you. I can manage on my own." She smiled beatifically, an expression that was obviously forced, and leaned down to pat her on the head.

Lowering her arm, Riko smiled back, content to be petted. "Oh, okay, amigo."

"YOU ASK HER, BUT NOT ME?!" Hisoka glared at his summons.

With a hurt look on her face, Riko frowned. "You can't stop fire if you run out of your charms, Master. Plus, you looked unhappy covered in dirt!"

The headache from the fight with Teiko seemed to be coming back, and Hisoka held his forehead briefly. "Riko, I don't want to meet fire-breathing chicken shikigami."

"Oh." But Riko didn't look the slightest bit apologetic.

"Are we moving on then, Kurosaki?"

He nodded at Teiko. "What's beyond here?"

"Mount Kurama, where the Tengu dwell."

"Are they hostile?" It would be stupid to make the same mistake twice. They were there to explore and meet new shikigami, not to be attacked.

"Fairly neutral."

"Then, let's go." There was no point sticking around longer than they had to. Besides, the place gave him the creeps.

"Alright!! We're gonna see the Tengu!" Leading the way by hopping, Riko began to hum filling in the void of noiselessness around them. For once, Hisoka smiled instead of snapping at her.

TBC.


	5. Preparation and Seal

_Author's notes: Sorry for the very long wait! I started this chapter and it felt all wrong and ridiculous. I had to wait for a rabid plunnie to bite me before I could continue. The next chapter should be out sooner! Plus... my computer died so I lost some of my inspirational writing.. T.T_

_Thank you for all your reviews!_

_

* * *

_Tell me there's a logic out there.  
Leading me to better prepare  
For the day that something really special might come.  
Tell me there's some hope for me.  
I don't wanna be lonely  
For the rest of my days on the earth.

-_excerpt from _**Weezer**'s "Perfect Situation"

* * *

Most days Nagare could walk regally without falter or hesitation. Most days he could dress himself and eat with his own chopsticks, but this morning after the night of a full moon he was an invalid. Few servants could properly wait on him like this, when his mood was volatile and fierce as a wasp, his words sharp and stinging with burning venom.

The telltale footsteps whispered on the tatami mats of the family prayer room as the door quietly slid closed. A figure knelt near him, using a soft cloth to wipe his face clean.

He laid still as the tender hands continued to carefully dab and wipe his skin free of any reminder of the horror of last night's episode. Finally he could open his slitted, inhuman eyes, watching her diligently focused expression as she wrapped bandages around his arms and neck.

After she was done, he laid a hand flat on the ground and rolled slightly, pushing himself up and ignoring the pain that shot up his arm and the burn in his back and other unmentionables. She offered no assistance, but waited patiently kneeling with a folded nagajuban in her lap.

It was agony but he pushed until he was completely sitting up. He calmly sat until he had his breathing back under control. When he was satisfied he picked up the folded tabi laying out next to him and pulled them on over his feet. Then he shifted his legs to slowly lift himself up to stand. Though his legs and arms shook from the exertion, he made no noise of discomfort even when his breathing became ragged. He leaned against the column next to him as he waited for the room to right itself with a hand over his eyes to check on his maid's state.

With a barely concealed concerned look, she was standing with his under-kimono garment unfolded and held out for him.

With a small turn and gratefully few steps, he slipped his arms through it. Before he finished pulling it forward on his shoulders to make certain it was secure, she laid his collar across his shoulders, which he straightened from habit. He put his arms through the sleeves of the casual, simple-patterned cotten kimono awaiting him next, and with her silent help had the black obi tied around him as he held the collar in its proper place.

She held out a matching length of translucent cloth, and he took it, blindfolding himself. Too many of his staff were horrified at the mere sight of his eyes, and it brought too many questions with guests.

He turned slowly and even slower walked to the shoji so he could go to the dining hall.

"Master?" Her voice was soft, belying her youth, and conscientiously quiet. His movements stilled, and he turned stiffly to gaze at her in question. She became considerably flustered. "I-Did you want your haori?"

Though small as it was, he graced her with a tired, fond smile. "After breakfast, when I feel well enough to visit the gardens, I would like it then, Miya." He turned walking tenderly. He knew she would be watching him until he passed the corner out of her view, and he found this comforting.

He would not, however, admit any untoward feelings to his cute maid, and it was not because of her status nor her heritage nor her youth. Though the shinigami had stolen his wasting second wife away, he would claim no other as his own.

Truly he was afraid of the Snake God poisoning the womb of another innocent, and without conceiving another heir he suspected that his body would waste until he was fully consumed.

Then, nothing could stop the monster from rampaging anew after nearly a thousand years.

He knelt at the table as another servant laid out a bowl of rice porridge, tea, and a spoon. Then the servant retreated to sit next to the wall facing him and alert to any sign that he needed support while eating. He very carefully grasped the spoon and lightly skimmed the top of the porridge. He twisted his hand slightly to change the grip and delicately brought his bland sustenance for the morning to his mouth. He repeated this a few times resting his wrist on the table in between bites, and then set the spoon down. "Make sure our guests are well fed and entertained. Tell them I will not be seeing them today."

"Yes, Master." The servant bowed and left quickly. Nagare sat in silence feeling a chill of foreboding down his back. He hoped the Shinigami would be able to destroy the kami, knowing he would not survive such a thing. It would tear him to pieces from the inside out as they sought to complete their mission.

He would have to prepare properly then.

* * *

"Mount Kurama is a loooooot bigger than I thought it would be!!" Riko complained lightheartedly. In between the humming and bouncing, her Master was breathing hard while she continued to show no ill effect of high altitude.

Still in her four-legged form, Teiko retorted, "The Tengu love cold, drafty places. What better place than the near-impassable Mount Kurama?"

The trees had thinned a kilometer ago, growing much shorter and less dense as they walked on, and just ahead was where most of the tree growth altogether ended, leaving only muted greens and browns on the rocks around them. Hisoka had a hard time focusing on much more than his footholds and his breathing. The air wasn't providing enough for his lungs for the amount of work his legs were pushing out.

"Finally! A Tengu Gate! We're almost there, Master!!" When Riko looked back, her face fell into concern and extreme worry. "Teiko, Teiko! We need to take a break!" She grabbed Hisoka's arm and jerked him towards a large rock. He tripped, but she caught him before his body slammed into it. "Do you need some more water, Master? Oh!" Quickly taking off her hat she placed it on top of Hisoka's head. "Maybe the sun's too much for you??"

"I'll... be fine.... Riko." He was very fuzzy. Why didn't he think about sitting before?? He panted leaning forward, leaving the hat where it was.

"Typically, it takes many days to travel up a mountain such as this because of the side effects." Teiko laid down at his feet, unrepentant that she didn't provide the information before. "Are you suffering from confusion or having trouble catching your breath even now?"

"No," Hisoka groused out.

"Good, or else we'd have to descend from whence we came or risk your life. At least there are some benefits to your Enma-augmented body."

"That's horrible!" Riko gasped and then warbled, flailing her arms in the air. "Teikoooooo!!" she whined unhappily, tears pouring from her eyes. The white cat only huffed at her, which only spurned her to suddenly yell angrily. "Do you hate Hisoka so much that you would let him walk into danger?!"

Heaving heavily as his breathing finally settled, Hisoka sat up straight rubbing his arms at the chilly air, eyeing the tremendous crimson-colored Shinto gate ahead of them. "Riko, I'm fine now."

The young girl pounced on him hugging him tightly, trapping his left arm. "Really!?"

He nodded, and held his free hand up to push her away. Pushing ineffectively as she clung, he turned to the grooming shikigami, while ignoring Riko's cries of happiness. "Teiko, how far away is that?"

"I'd say another kilometer or less."

"Great." Hisoka stood carefully, dropping the hat back onto Riko's head once she had let go of him, to continue the trek up the gravel colored soil towards the very obvious landmark.

He looked to his right to find that he no longer stood in the middle of them as Riko walked between them as if needing to protect him from the cold-hearted hei hei. The sound of wind dragging down across dirt and through stubby brush filled the silence that had suddenly fallen between them. _It will be better once we reach the Gate_, Hisoka thought. Somehow the mood had gone from friendly to cold. As the Gate creeped closer and closer with every step they took, Hisoka crossed his arms tighter in his denim jacket from the nearly constant chilly wind.

With a neck and arms full of feathers, an imposing humanoid bird dropped down in front of them with his two half-staffs crossed as loose-fitting robes settled around him. Immediately raising her hackles, Teiko growled ferociously as Riko prodded Hisoka back down the trail some to stand in front of him.

"No one may pass at this time! I, as the Guardian of the West Gate, demand you either go back down the mountain or face the wrath of my staffs!"

"Since when have the Tengu been so impudent?!" Teiko cocked her wings back defensively while a shocked Riko twisted silently in place at her rudeness at a Gatemaster and Hisoka watched on for any sign that prompt action was needed for a fight.

The bird cocked his head assertively unworried by her anger. "Do you have a message from your King that our Elder needs to hear?"

"None, if the Tengu's welcome has grown so cold that they are unable to recognize the Hei Hei King's own illustrious High Guard Commander!" She bared her fangs at the perceived slight to her pride.

"My apologies. What proof do you have?" The Tengu gazed down at her suspiciously.

Glaring, she stood on her back two legs, transforming into her lean human form, pulling a necklace from the depths of her pale blue toga, dirty from the dust storm she had called before to dry herself off. Hanging at the end of it was a flat box. Holding it flat in her hand she murmured something at it, and the clasp popped open. Her hand carefully pulled the shiny fabric covering the contents and picked up a rectangular piece of metal. On it was an intricate seal that easily resembled a giant lotus flower, inlaid with jade, rose quartz, and silver. She flipped it over to show him the King's signature crest on the back. "Is this proof enough?"

"Yes, my lady. However..." He looked sternly at her companions, one of whom looked baffled and the other on loyal guard. "I cannot let them through as well."

"You know what this seal means, Gatekeeper. You must fulfill your obligations to my King! Any who accompany the holder of the Seal must be accepted into Mount Kurama!!" She paused and glanced at her bondmate and fellow shikigami for a glimpse of their reactions. "It is true that my companions are unorthodox as one is a Shinigami and the other a lowly riko contracted to him." She held her head up proudly, hand holding the seal unwavering. "Regardless, I myself am bonded to this Shinigami and wouldn't dare to leave him behind. Furthermore, you know the risk of refusing a formal diplomatic mission."

"As you like, my lady." As she wrapped the seal up and put it safely away, the Tengu sliced the air quickly with both staffs, opening a slash of light. "Please pass through quickly."

"Teiko...," Riko said, blinking up at her confused. Silently, Hisoka joined Riko in staring her down in bewilderment, wondering how this had turned into something so serious. A sharp look silenced their hesitance. Gathering the part of her toga that would drag in the gray soil if left alone, she commanded," Come. We should not keep the Council of Elders waiting for our message." So, together they walked through the door of light.

* * *

"It's night again..." Tsuzuki looked out of Tenkuu's columns to the dark garden below. "Byakko, tomorrow, we're going to go to Mount Koho and find Hisoka. Okay?"

"Sure thing, Tsuzuki! We'll find him no problem. This morning we've sent messengers out to the neighboring nations to see if they've wandered off course. You never know with a riko's sense of direction..."

"Yeah." He continued to look at the water trickling in the fountain in the very poor light, thinking that it would have just been better if he had gone after Hisoka right after his disappearance.

_'Come back safely, Hisoka.' I wanted to say that before you left._

TBC.


	6. Stains and Choices

_Author's notes: Well, Happy New Year, folks! Just in time for an update huh? I guess I'll only be managing an update every couple of months because life has gotten busier. Hope you enjoy!_

_Thank you for your reviews! I do look back at them when I feel like I can't go on or when I'm stumped with the plot._

_

* * *

_It's hard to say that I'd rather stay awake when I'm asleep  
'Cause everything is never as it seems

-- _excerpt from "_Fire Flies" _by **Owl City**_

* * *

Several Tengu in their natural forms whispered about the sudden visitors that were let in through the West Gate in the late afternoon, despite Sojobo's edict to allow none in since the unnatural lunar eclipse had occurred. The untidy party that walked by them were a strange sight indeed. The power of a Shinigami was felt from the young boy while the young girl seemed properly placed beside him. However, it was the tall woman with bead-braided hair who led them towards the meeting center with the small wings that marked her as a Hei Hei.

That group was shown to one of the innermost meeting chambers by an escorting guard. As they settled onto plush cushions facing towards a raised stage upon which were four cushions, the young girl accompanying them loudly exclaimed at the trays of food being placed in front of them by Tengu servants. All of them partook of the food, the youngest most exuberantly, yet the stage remained empty.

Once they had finished, the trays were picked up and carried away. The youngest began to rock back and forth and wiggle in place as the wait drew on longer, before pulling out a deck of cards and boldly asking her master if he would play. Before the messengers began to entertain themselves, the Elders slowly walked in through a shoji on the left and right of the stage.

Only the Hei Hei was bowing when they entered, and she hissed angrily at her companions to bow their heads. Since he was moving too slow for her liking, her hand whipped up to give a sharp push to the young boy's back. The youthful Shinigami snapped a "Hey!" before executing a well-practiced bow, while the young girl beside him performed a much sloppier version with an irreverent grin on her face.

"Be at ease before us. Before you pass your message, who are these companions to travel with you, Teiko, High Guard Commander of the Hei Hei King?" The Elder seated in the most ornate chair spoke.

Sitting up first, the boy frowned, apparently disliking that he had not been addressed. "My name is Kurosaki Hisoka, and that is Riko, my Shikigami." "That's who I am, amigo!" She thrust a thumb at her chest proudly. In turn, the Hei Hei messenger looked annoyed at being left unmentioned, but nevertheless added to his description. "He has a contract with me by order of my King."

With a nose similar to a beak, Sojobo leaned back in his seat as he and the other Elders looked down at the three peaceful intruders in their Domain. "What news do you carry on the back of an ill-fated star-sight, Commander Teiko?"

Her gaze was steely as she looked to no other Elder as she answered. "The King of Hei Heis has seen a vision of the Dragon King breaking free of his shackles without any intent to burn the world as before."

"Aiya! Bad news, bad news!! How will he not burn the world, amigo?!" "Riko, be quiet!" The boy whispered at his reeling Shikigami. "Oh no, nononono", she moaned and then suddenly fell over in a dead faint before he knew quite what had happened. He went to fretting over her, but could only lay her on her back and fluff the sitting pillow for her head.

Quite predictably, the ancient Tengu, all but Sojobo, were visibly agitated, if not incensed, at the news.

"His escape would be very bad news, yet your King says it is not? How can your King be sure that all those that would stand opposite of that traitor will not be burned mercilessly?" calmly questioned a very elderly Tengu, Tarobou, his hair and beard shot completely white and both long enough to shroud his body.

"It is true. We have no chance in a fair battle. The previous war has shown us this, since our existence is wind and his is fire." The youngest of the Elders, Houkibo, announced gravely.

Teiko kept an impassive expression on her face. "I understand being of wind myself, but with the world fragmenting as we speak it is inevitable that he will break free. The vision my King spoke of ends where our world becomes whole and strong again. He has found the Key to our peace and humbly asks that the Tengu will not move against Kurikara RyuOh if he should escape Fuyuu Desert."

"Do not speak his name in our hallowed halls! He is a traitor to us all and deserves no such restraint should he escape," the blind, scar-faced Elder, Sagamibo, responded harshly.

Sojobo raised his hand to silence the other sighted Elders should they try to interrupt. "The Key? Is he referring to what was in the last important star reading sent by the venerable Rikugo to any nation willing to listen?"

"Yes. The same. This is the letter my King wrote for your eyes only." She took a small clay tablet no bigger than her palm from a pouch she pulled from her toga and stood to lean forward and deposit it into his awaiting hand. A wizened finger traced over the illegible markings on it as he read it quietly. The room was silent as death until he smashed it on the stone next to him and ground the pieces into dust with his heel, causing the Shinigami to jump in surprise.

"What do you think, Sojobo? Should we heed the Hei Hei King and delay any attack should FudoumyouOh's incarnation break free?" Sagamibo tilted his head towards their oldest Elder.

Sojobo closed his eyes to think for a moment, back stiff and straight. "Despite everything, the Dragon King loves this world. If the Golden Emperor had not poured his power into Sohryuu, we would all be no more, lost to the fires of his divine ki." Opening his eyes, he looked towards the Commander and her companions, and then slowly back to the other Elders. "I believe... it is best that we not descend from the mountain to begin another war when he returns. Our numbers are dwindling and if we can save lives doing so, we will stay here. Even if war were to break out, neutrality would be the only sane option."

The other Elders bowed their heads down in agreement.

"Then I will depart to tell my King the news." Standing, she bowed lightly, leaving the Shinigami to the unconscious girl.

"Commander, before you go... is Kurosaki, the partner of Tsuzuki?" Sojobo looked towards him shrewdly.

"I am." Once again, Hisoka answered for himself with the girl collected carefully into his arms. "Why do you want to know?"

"Ah... it was quite a long time ago, when I met him. Perhaps he would like to visit some time?" It had been a request rather than a question, Hisoka knew as the old man smiled and turned towards the other Elders who were standing to leave the room with him.

Teiko lightly touched his arm. "We need to stay the night to recuperate before traveling back to Mount Koho. I will answer any questions I can during that time."

Hisoka nodded, exiting the building with the guard who had escorted them through the maze of hallways. As they exited outside, Hisoka saw that it was already dusk.

"Yo! I didn't expect you would be here, child. Where's Tsuzuki?"

A familiar Tengu settled down with his twin, confidently, transforming into the fair-haired Kotaro and silent Kojiro. "I would have expected him to accompany you through the dangerous territories between Tenkuu Palace and Mount Kurama."

Hands full with Riko, Hisoka stiffened in response, irritated that they still used 'child' with him. "I'm not a--"

"Why would he need some other _Shinigami_ to protect him when he has me?" Teiko crossed her arms formidably, her tiny white wings twitching.

"We meant no offense to you. Tsuzuki is our miko's good friend," Kojiro intoned solemnly.

"It is very curious to us that the Elders would convene a council and allow his presence, unless he managed to capture your heart, my lady." Kotaro smirked with a wink.

"He did no such thing!!"  
"I didn't capture her heart!" Simultaneously annoyed voices shouted at them, and Kotaro laughed lightly at their reaction, stopping only with a stern look from Kojiro.

"I have only accepted his contract for a time." A no-nonsense voice spoke much more calmly, though still flustered.

Riko was finally stirring with her Master's shout and she groggily grinned up at the two Tengu curiously. Kojiro smiled lightly back.

Teiko continued,"and we are ready to retire for the evening so we may depart quickly, so if you would excuse us."

Kotaro frowned. "I was only teasing. Your journey is only half over, correct?" She nodded tersely at his comment before crossing her arms and turning away, nonverbally shunning them.

"Master, let's go beddy bye now, okay?" yawned Riko as she sleepily tugged on Hisoka's jacket, pointing over towards the sole inn standing by an old-style bridge. Hisoka blushed, growling. "I'm not some kid!"

"You're just grumpy 'cause you're tired, Master..." With another large yawn, she yanked harder on his jacket. "Put me down, put me down! I'll go reserve a room right away!!" He leaned over and dropped her to her feet and she energetically skipped towards the inn, tripping once but not falling as she hummed drowsily. She spun one last time as she ran, waving. "Bye, Gatekeepers! Nice ta meet ya, amigos!!"

Kojiro raised a hand from his staff in response, while Kotaro waved at her before turning back to Hisoka. "Well, we'll be up before dawn to protect our Gate, so we may not meet again before you leave Gensoukai. Until then, don't get killed, child!" They both turned, walking into the immense building the trio had exited.

Twilight had fallen, and stars were beginning to peek beyond the sky's veil. Hisoka shivered as the chill had begun to sink again into his clothes. Teiko was still partly turned away, face hidden in the shadow of the lantern light lining the streets.

"Teiko... you'll break the contract soon?"

She turned to look at him kindly. "Through no want of my own. I will stay with you as long as I am able." Her face fell back into indifference as she headed towards the inn. "Come along. Riko will become anxious if we take too much time with her in absence."

_What does that mean?_ Hisoka worried to himself, wondering if she was dying from some illness or something. He knew though that she wouldn't answer his questions if they were part of a secret so dangerous that she had hidden a mission of this magnitude from the two of them.

_Is this what Wakaba was warning me about? _

* * *

"The Master is feeling unwell and cannot meet with the honorable guests today." Miya bowed to them as their breakfast dishes were being cleaned up by another servant.

"May I begin setting up in the family altar room?" Wakaba asked succinctly, wanting to waste little time to start this assignment. The misery laid much more thickly in the house than she had anticipated and it had affected her dreams with lurid and gory details that were vague but hinted at a history of violence. She could only imagine what a sensitive like Hisoka had to have dealt with daily.

"I will ask the Master, but if he gave you permission earlier then I believe the answer will remain the same. Enjoy your breakfast, honored Guests." The maid bowed and then left silently.

Terazuma glared after her as he adjusted how he sat, obviously figdety.

"Hajime?"

He snorted, hands automatically taking a toothpick from his shirt pocket to chew on. It was poor replacement for a cigarette though. "Just the usual scene since we got here. Something's crawling under my skin, itching to get the hell out of here."

Wakaba glanced towards the servant who sat at distant attention, but not so much to look like he was deliberately eavesdropping. The servants were all very well-trained.

Closing her eyes briefly, she sighed. "I only need some help setting up, after that I will need everyone to stay out of the family altar room."

"I need a fucking smoke." He flicked his fingers, broken toothpick flying into the immaculate garden, standing up. "I'll be around."

_I'll be around _was code to mean that he'd be snooping around, and if she needed him to send a calling card in the form of a messenger bird to him.

She smiled. "Enjoy the country air while you can, Hajime."

He waved her off as he stepped out of the building, walking the long way around.

Turning to the servant, Wakaba produced a folded piece of paper. "I need these things specifically for the purification ceremony if you would provide these materials for me within the day."

"Of course, m'lady, right away." The servant took the paper and disappeared behind the shoji, his footsteps growing fainter as he went into the bowels of the immense building.

Bringing a finger to her chin, the miko thought to herself a bit before opening the shoji and closing it, making her way to the family altar room.

The house was certainly haunted, but she had yet to see a spirit and didn't expect to. There were very few spirits who would willingly cross a miko and, even fewer, a Shinigami.

When she reached the decorated, very heavy shoji, she opened it, smelling the sharp tang of vinegar and a familiar servant furiously scrubbing at a portion of the tatami mat.

"Miya?"

The woman jerked up in surprise. "Oh, I-I was cleaning." The young woman stood up jerkily after collecting a small bottle and a folded, dirtied towel. "I have not yet asked Master. He is resting." She bowed and quickly made her way to the exit, bowing again as she exited the room, shutting the shoji with a heavy thud.

Curiously, Wakaba stepped farther inside, looking down at the tatami mats laid out. They were riddled with numerous stains, though quite faint. She looked up around the ceiling and found the previous heads' portraits or photographs staring down at her, and as she looked down and across the room, there was a wall-scroll detailing some battle with many dead laying about the two contenders. One was short and decidedly Japanese in features. The other was larger with multiple mouths and arms, wielding all manner of weapons, hair long and blonde with piercing solid green eyes. It looked old and well-preserved, despite the musty smell of the room.

Gingerly she extended her spiritual senses and felt the powerful seal caging the entire room and the high amount of negative energy collected within. She walked around focused on her work. By the time several servants arrived with the materials she requested, she had already tied her sleeves back and placed herself in a calming seated position. "Thank you. Please do not disturb me until I come out of this room." The servants bowed and shuffled out quietly.

Wakaba took a deep breath and bent to work.

* * *

Carefully peering through his glasses at the star reading in his hands, Rikugo scanned over the forecast for any details that would allude to how quickly things would come to pass. Rolling the scroll up, he set it aside after passing a customary seal on it. He had only surmised that the pinnacle of events leading to the Dragon King's return would amass within the next three weeks.

He unfurled another star reading, full of ill-starred starts and abrupt halts; each choice pruned off before given full life and unerringly spiraling to a cursed life.

Suddenly his door slammed open with a heavily breathing Tsuzuki catching his breath.

Rikugo sat the star chart down and stood up and away from his small desk, bowing deeply. "Greetings, Master."

Tsuzuki made a face and waved a hand. "I told you not to do that, Rikugo! Tsuzuki is fine. Now, what's so important that you had to tell me before I left to find Hisoka?"

The six-eyed astrologer waved vaguely towards his star charts. "You will cut off his only chance at a choice of his own, if you are to interrupt his journey."

"He needs me," Tsuzuki stated, adding, "Sohryuu said we shared a shikigami bond."

"I understand, master." His extra eyes opened, seeing the ley lines branching into the beyond, a myriad of possible futures. "He is also close to awakening his deep power. Would you deny him that for your own insecurity?"

The man frowned at the use of 'master'. "Are you advising me to sit around and wait until he finishes?"

Bowing his head, Rikugo opened his arms some in a semblance of disagreement. "I advise nothing to you, master. This, too, is a choice you alone must make. Again, if I may so boldly ask, would you prefer your partner to develop a state of helplessness or of independence?"

"He's not helpless!"

His shikigami smiled. "The reality that one creates is an illusion derived from what one experiences. What one may understand is not what another sees. For those others, they must experience the true extent and strength of their character before they, too, understand." He closed his extra eyes. "Master Kurosaki has been taught helplessness. His spirit has always fought to reject this cruel lesson. Should you appear before him before he has discovered his potential, he will succumb, and the strength that draws you to him will be snuffed out."

Tsuzuki looked shocked, Rikugo's blunt forecast hitting him with a cold blanket of fear. "Wh-what?"

"Co-dependence would assuredly prevent you from being left alone with your guilt of long-ago sins, and it would be that much easier to gain the intimacy you so desire. Despite the shallow contentment you would feel from gaining what you wanted, true happiness would never appear for either of you." Rikugo stepped closer. "On the other hand, if he grew to be independent, he is free to choose whether to pursue you or not. He may even decide that he has had enough of his tainted after-life as a minion of Enma-DaiOh. It is riskier, but the path is open to a happiness neither of you have experienced."

Inhaling sharply, Tsuzuki remained motionless, watching Rikugo, afraid to interrupt.

"So, again, Master, I ask." Tsuzuki could feel him breathing as he moved closer, standing beside his shoulder. "Would you prefer Master Kurosaki broken or whole?"

TBC.


	7. Nostalgia and Heart

_Author's notes: Egads. Look how the time just flies! Well, this chapter was being especially stubborn for me, so I apologize for the delay. :) Enjoy~!_

_

* * *

_

What if I'd been born,

fifty years before you

in a house on the street

where you live

Maybe I'd be outside

as you passed on your bike.

Would I know?

And then in a wide sea of eyes

I see one pair that I recognize

-_excerpt from "_Luckiest" by **Ben Folds**

* * *

"And you don't call that advice?" Tsuzuki twisted his neck to shoot a dirty look at Rikugo, not bothered that he was practically nose to nose with the slightly taller Summons. "You should have just told me not to get him," he said flatly, hiding the quaver of worry in his voice. Was he really smothering Hisoka's bright flame by covering the burning wick?

"You won't answer?" The curious lilt seemed to make it that much worse.

"Damn it, Rikugo. You know it already. Why bother asking?" With a drawn sigh, Tsuzuki ran a hand through his hair, clutching a full hand of it. "If that's what at stake here, then I'm not going. Period."

His shikigami only looked at him calmly, stepping back to give him space. His master had made his choice. "Master Kurosaki should be back within a few days. Until then, shouldn't you be making use of this special connection you've mentioned you've cultivated with hiim?"

His master let go of his hair, self-guilt transforming into stupor, as he slapped his fist in his other hand. "I forgot... I should've done that from the start." He grinned, knowing that as long as he gave Hisoka growing room, it would be okay. They would be okay. "And, I should tell Byakko that we'll be sitting tight for a while longer. It's too bad since he was really looking forward to traveling. See you later." Without hesitation, Tsuzuki exited the room, excitement rolling off of him in giddy rivulets. Hisoka would be back very soon; He reached out lightly to feel that, yes he was unhurt, if tired, and withdrew before bringing his partner's attention to his curiosity.

Bowing his head at Tsuzuki's quick exit, Rikugo answered with an enigmatic smile.

* * *

Disgusted, Terazuma turned away from the village chief. Was this entire place crazy? They seemed desperate to keep their precious Kurosaki lineage alive for reasons he didn't know. His suspicions were inflamed when he saw that there was nothing remotely selfless in the eyes of the villagers who wished for Nagare Kurosaki to get better; something major had happened in the far past that had placed superstition squarely on their bent heads to keep them from usurping the Kurosakis control. Superstitions led to grains of supernatural truths.

The Black Lion continued its incessant growling in his head. He lit up another cigarette, reminding himself of the stall he saw in town that sold them. He had packed a full carton but was already down to only about four packs from the chain-smoking he did to keep the thrice-damned parasite calm. If he wasn't careful, the damn thing would 'neutralize' the threat that Kurosaki Nagare seemed to pose. Exactly what threat was what he'd been trying to discover in the many hours he spent out among the villagers. He felt like he was walking some beat as a member of the local police department, which seemed to be a hell of a lot more than what passed as police in these backwoods. It was damn obvious they were bought out to 'protect' the dark secrets of the Kurosakis. He had already roughed up some sharply dressed gentlemen for threatening him to keep his nose out of the village's business.

It wasn't in his character to keep his nose fucking out. It was why he had died anyhow, not that he fucking regretted that. It still burned that he didn't take the human traffickers with him. Everyone he had worked with had been in the very pockets of the people they were supposed to catch; he had taken a small joy that his death spotlighted the corrupt scandal, but it wasn't long before most of everything to do with it was swept under the rug.

What really hurt was that he had left a pregnant widow. Ten fucking years dead and he hadn't grown the balls to go see her and their child, if it had survived the birth. It had hurt too damn much to find out since he could no longer be a part of their life, and Terazuma was no emotional masochist. He'd like to think she had gotten remarried and relocated to some place else, child in tow, but knew he had seriously pissed off the wrong people who preferred to close loose ends. Hopefully, she had taken his words to heart in the letter he had left her, and, before his untimely death, had always picked up when he returned safely home. What happened beyond that was something Terazuma took precaution against thinking too deeply. He brushed the memories aside carelessly, secretly hoping that with more time spent in purgatory that they'd begin to lose their sharpness and detail.

Memory was a fickle creature. It was unfortunate that he had his tamed. He didn't do self-doubt or reality checks. He knew what was right and wrong, and he didn't need other people to substantiate it. An idiot, when they had first met, had called it willful, bull-headed bigotry. To him, it was just good, old-fashioned self-trust. Fact was fact. Like, when Wakaba tried to tell him that because he was downright hostile and overly sensitive he seemed undesirable as a potential friend.

He told her flat out that he just hated people and their lies.

Walking up the slight incline to the Kurosaki compound, Terazuma calmly ignored that he was being tailed. He was much more worried about what had the villagers scared so bad that they would cover up all the dirty little secrets of the Kurosakis. It itched in his head like a wriggling worm. Maybe Kurosaki Nagare harbored something that he lorded over his villagers that would spell disaster for everyone else.

The prisoner in his head growled louder as if to punctuate that thought.

* * *

Hisoka entered the inn and was greeted by the sight of three tenguu bowing towards Riko, who cheerfully waved and gestured towards their entrance.

"Master, Teiko! I've got you a suite, and guess what?" She paused, wriggling in anticipation.

"...What?" He finally asked evenly, since Teiko remained quiet.

"It's free!" She stressed with her fists exploding forcefully outwards like a spring loosed. "They said the Elders have covered our stay 'cause Teiko's a diplomat! Isn't that great?"

He nodded. Weary and glad he had already eaten dinner, he slipped off his shoes and into the slippers a tenguu provided for him. He followed Riko as she led him down the long hall to a shouji on the far side of the inn facing the inner garden. The room was as far away as possible from the living space of the inn's family, which meant they were being given as much privacy as paper and wooden frames could allow. He was unsurprised when every object in the room looked pristine and unused.

While Riko busied herself by pulling out the sleeping pallets, Hisoka stepped out of the room onto the walkway next to the garden, leaving the slippers in the room. Hearing the telltale thud of a piece of bamboo thumping against a rock in a pond nearby, he stepped down, barefoot, onto a slab of stone and into the large rock garden, disturbing the raked sand design. It had been a long time since he felt grit against and in between his toes; Correction, helping that girl with the rundown ryokan in Okinawa felt like a long time ago, when he knew it had only been closer to a year. After a moment of just enjoying the sand under his bare feet, he wandered onto the stone walkway, which lead into an artfully placed bamboo fence to create a niche, the hollow, thumping sound echoing peacefully. He half-expected large koi to be swimming in the pond, but only lily pads floated atop the water, blotched with enormous, budding flowers. There was a small shrine near the pond, but Hisoka didn't get any closer not knowing if it was a private shrine choosing instead to sit down near the pond's edge to better enjoy the moment of silence interspersed with the meditative quality of the deer scare.

"Your heart is severed from your _hara _and mind." The voice made him jump, startled by its sudden intrusion. A wizened, fragile-looking woman stood near him who was not much taller than he was sitting down. "If you do not work on that, you may find it harder and harder to relate to others as time passes."

"Who are you?"

"Oh, dear me. I apologize, honorable guest. My name is Yukio." She bowed lightly in respect.

Hisoka struggled to his feet but the woman signaled that she'd prefer if he stayed seated. He managed a half-bow. "I'm Kurosaki Hisoka, and if my heart were severed it would just grow back."

For the space of two seconds she looked at him levelly, but after that she leaned her head back and laughed, and laughed, though it sounded a bit like cawing, Hisoka thought. She was obviously a tenguu. He frowned, not seeing what she found funny about what he said.

Finally catching her breath, her eyes shone in playful understanding. "Everyone has chakra centers; there being seven ones widely considered as most important. However, of those, three are considered to be the most crucial." She raised her hand and touched her forehead. "Mind. Where ideas are birthed through thoughts." Her hand drifted to her chest and lightly patted. "Heart. Where emotions lead your thoughts to action." It drifted lower to her abdomen where it rested. "Gut. Where instinct propels ideas inundated with feeling into reality. Your heart point is mostly floating beyond your body, like a single cloud tethered to an open sky."

"... Why is that a problem?"

Her face was briefly irritated before resuming a calm demeanor. "As I said, you have trouble relating and connecting to others."

Shrugging, Hisoka snorted. "I'm always connected to others." He didn't care that he was being rude. She shouldn't be poking into other people's business.

"Child." Her voice pierced him, and her eyes peered so sharply down at him that his retort died on his lips. "You become overwhelmed by others' emotions because your heart has resided outside your body too long due to some unfortunate trauma in the past..., " her voice softened," that sort of damage is no trivial matter."

"Why should I care? I'm dead." Flustered at the woman's sudden scrutiny, Hisoka looked away scowling, embarrassed at being read so easily and the angry words that tumbled from his mouth. Why should this old lady he didn't even know care about his problems?

"Kurosaki-kun, you are in a liminal phase. You are neither alive, nor completely dead. You are neither truly child nor adult. You are neither happy or sad, neither angry or calm. You are trapped so firmly on the threshold of the door to transformation that it's painful to see. If you prefer to remain in constant discord then that is your choice, but do make a choice."

Anger boiled up in his chest. "Do you think I like being this way? Because I don't! Shut up about making chioces because I don't have any of those! I try and try and try and try and it always comes out the same way! Pain and misery and hatred. I've only ever seen the ugliness of humanity!" Hot tears fell down his flushed cheeks, as he panted. She waited in the long pause that followed as if he had more to say, until stepping lightly foward.

"That isn't true, Kurosaki-kun. Is it?" The old woman hovered nearer to him, her voice soothing. "You know what pleasure and happiness and love is or you would have been lost a long, long time ago."

And he remembered his mother and her love. How he had been the center of her attention before he had fatally opened his mouth to speak the hidden truths and those same, warm fingers had tried to choke his life out. He squinted as the world blurred again. He remembered the pride his father had had in him, and his decision to lock him down in the cellar paired with the lies of their son's death to his mother. His father had chosen peace with his mother over him. How could he still love both of them despite of that? "I want to shut it off. I want to stop feeling anything. I don't want to feel anyone anymore." He sucked in a shuddering breath as he felt something akin to control again, but he knew it was tenuous at best.

She clucked sharply in admonishment. "Would you cut out your tongue to stop tasting or plug your ears to stop hearing? Your ability is simply an extra sense. It is impossible to cut it off without maiming yourself and I refuse to be accomplice in such a vile act. If you want control, it will only happen when you know your own heart. Chaos finds weakness in the darkest of places." She peered at him, glancing from his barefeet to his blonde hair. "What do you truly desire for yourself?"

Half a dozen things sprang to his mind, but none of them felt right. They were all logical, and yet they were shallow. He wanted power, strength, courage, revenge, control, knowledge. He wanted these ideas so badly, but not one of them had quenched a thirst for whatever he was searching. He was already stronger, had faced Muraki down on numerous occasions, if unsuccessful in his vengeance, he had proved to himself that he wasn't a coward, had learned all sorts of things but... he felt nothing but great exhaustion at what he thought should make him feel triumphant or at least something borderline content, not this gnawing in his gut that felt like defeat.

"I see you're beginning to understand. In that case, it would honor me if you took this on your quest." On a simple brown leather string hung a dark reddish-pink stone, having a beveled square shape, inlaid with oval pieces of cloudy-white, green pebbles; the elderly woman held it out to him. "This should help align you properly until you've learned how to do without it. By being aligned, you should find the answer for that which you are looking."

He opened a palm and graciously accepted it, thanking the woman and examining it closely. It certainly didn't look special and it was no bigger than his thumb.

At the sound of Riko's voice calling for him, Hisoka's head jerked up, standing in reflex.

"Master, master! I found you! What were you doing over here?" Riko plowed predictably into his legs, and clung eagerly.

"I was..." Hisoka surveyed the caged-in area, and saw no one around, but his shiki noticed the leather string hanging from his enclosed palm.

"What's that?" Riko pulled on the string, distracting him from thinking too deeply about the old woman's disappearance.

"It's a gift." Before she could pluck it from his fingers, he pulled the leather loop around his head, and the stone rested slightly above the middle of his breastbone.

"Huahhhh! It's so pretty! Who gave it to you?"

"A tenguu named Yukio... Why were you looking for me?"

"It's time for bed, silly!"

Instead of feeling greatly annoyed at her inability to treat him like an adult, he had to straighten his lips from the curl that they had tried to form. "I am a little tired." Why would he be happy over that?

She grabbed his left hand and pulled him with a little less force than she normally did, probably because of his admission. "Then, it's decided!"

He let her without resisting, wondering if it was really a good idea to re-connect with his heart. He had done well enough without it, right?

A servant arrived to help rinse and dry off their feet before stepping back on the porch. Teiko was already under covers and facing away from the door. Without any prompting from Riko, he crawled into the bedroll closest to the wall. He fell asleep in minutes, instead of the hours that usually dragged on.

* * *

_The light from the full moon seemed bright to his eyes now that he kept them open, covering the darkened landscape. The frogs were noisier tonight; he looked up to check the moon for the iridescent ring that preceded rain, and there it was circling it. _

_It would be a good thing he came tonight to visit his sister's grave to offer a memorial instead of tomorrow. The unmarked family grave site was off the beaten path at the base of a hill that had a lone, wilting sakura tree, and when it rained the paths to it grew as marshy as the perpetual marsh at the back of his family's complex. His thin sandals barely provided protection against ticks, not with the added troubles of sucking mud covered in worms that the rains brought._

_At the apex of the hill, he turned in the direction of the river beyond the marsh that connected to a larger, swampy lake many kilometers west of their village, sensing something._

_He looked towards the grave site and bowed lightly towards his sister muttering a 'see you soon', before heading towards the marsh. His sister would forgive him for helping a hurt animal. Animals didn't broadcast usually unless they were in miserable, helpless pain. He didn't know what he would do when he saw it, but he knew he wouldn't drown it or break its neck like the gardener did to birds with broken wings. Kimono bunched up away from his feet, he carefully made his way on the path's mounds of dry grass through the marsh. _

_He knew he was closer when he 'heard' cruel laughter of young boys and the whistle of stones thrown into a blazing orange, sunset sky. Perhaps, the village boys had chased the poor animal down and beaten it viciously. He didn't try to comprehend such violence because he didn't understand it. By his estimate, twilight had happened hours ago, so the poor animal, probably a dog based on its predilection towards people, was lying in the mud, cold, frightened, and utterly alone._

The mud squelched under his sandals. It had been raining frequently lately, so the swollen river though much higher than it had been months ago barely entered his mind.

_He jerked to a stop, almost slipping into the mud that had sunk over the top of his toes._

_A boy. Hisoka froze. There was a boy laying there, who had been brutally beaten, not an animal. He stared. The boy's clothes were ratty and caked in mud. Bruises shadowed the skin bathed in the moonlight, chest rising and falling brokenly. _

_He considered leaving; he didn't know how to treat another person, but the boy's eyes opened. _

_"Sis?" No thoughts chased his words as he struggled to sit up, and utterly failed at doing so._

_Disappointed, the boy looked up at him a small sob escaping his throat. Hisoka felt that he expected no help from him._

_"My name's Hisoka." He stayed where he was wary of the boy. "Who are you?"_

_"A-" He coughed as he trembled in pain. "Asato."_

_Hisoka peered down at the dark-haired boy, not sure what to do. Sinking to the balls of his feet and hiking his kimono up over his knees and pulling it tight so that the backside wouldn't touch the mud, he reached his fingers into the front of his kimono. "Are you hungry?"_

_Tears glistened in the eyes of the upturned face as Asato nodded vigorously._

_Pulling a pouch from the inner folds of his kimono, he offered the entiriety of the adzuki bean mochi a maid had given to him earlier that week to the boy, whose fingers reverently took it and painstakingly laid it on his chest opening it. There was a cry of delight at the sight of the mochi balls, and the boy picked one up and ate it with relish. _

_Standing back up, Hisoka watched trying to feel out any thoughts, and was ever more mystified by its lack._

_Soon the pouch was empty and it was given back to him with spoken and sincerely felt gratitude. He turned it inside out so the mud wouldn't touch the kimono and put it away. From the last bite, he had noticed that Asato's pain had lessened and the boy experimentally sat up with some effort, slicked in mud. He tilted his head up at him then. "I feel like..."_

_Hisoka's breath fluttered in his throat. "You know me?"_

_"That's stupid though, right? We haven't met before now." Asato worried at his lower lip with his teeth. The silence, that Hisoka had no desire to fill, stretched a while after that, until the boy shrugged. "Sis, says that happens sometimes, feeling like you know someone. She says it's proof that there's reincarnation."_

_"Your sister sounds like a nice person."_

_"She is!" That alien emotion of warmth and happiness outpoured from this battered figure, and Hisoka wondered why anyone would hurt the boy. He was too afraid to ask, worried he would offend or maybe that the boy didn't know why himself._

_"What about you?" At Hisoka's confused look, Asato clarified, "What's your family like?"_

_"Distant." He admitted curtly._

_"Oh, that must be hard to live far away from them..."_

_Hisoka didn't have the heart to correct him. "Do you have other siblings?"_

_"Siblings?"_

_"Like other brothers or sisters. I don't have any."_ Alive._ He wanted to add, but kept it to himself._

_"Oh, I only have Sis... We're orphans working for an old man. I don't like him much, but he feeds us and gives us a place to stay."_

_The silence fell between them once again. Hisoka looked up at the moon to check how much time had passed. "I need to get going."_

_Asato looked at him with wide, unblinking eyes, his mouth set in a pout. It very much reminded Hisoka of a puppy begging for a pat on the head, so maybe his sense of a 'dog' wasn't far off from reality as he had thought. Then a thought occurred to him. "Are you a spirit?"_

_The boy blinked at that giving him a very perplexed look, glancing down at his hands. "No... what makes you say that?"_

_Blushing at his mistake, Hisoka shook his head, turning as quickly as he could without falling in the river mud to make his escape._

_"Hey, wait!" The blonde paused and looked back over his shoulder. _

_"Can I see you again?" When Hisoka didn't respond, the boy fretted. "I mean, I'd like to be your friend?"_

_Thinking quickly for any reasons to turn him down but finding none, Hisoka nodded, calling over his shoulder, ""I'll be here next week by the river four hours after sunset."_

_A giant grin exploded over the boy's face as he whooped for joy, not questioning or caring about the odd time for meeting. "Okay! It's a promise then!"_

_Some time later, after Hisoka had carefully wiped down the mud from the floor and wall where he had escaped through the window and washed his feet, sandals, and the lower part of the stained kimono he had worn using the hose on the far side of the wall of his room that he was supposed to use only for bathing, he gazed up at the ceiling dimly lit and ignoring the familiar weight of the crisscrossing bars' shadow over his blanket. _

_He remembered how years ago, before his captivity, other children were frightened of him, and how he had found solace playing with the spirits that haunted the property.__  
_

_The curious boy's last hesitant question flashed through his mind._

_"Maybe,"_ _he whispered out to the quiet room, closing his eyes to drift asleep. _

TBC.


	8. Debts and Shrooms

_Author's notes: Yo! Been a while, huh? Sorry about that. So many parts in this were giving me problems. Namely, Hisoka is growing up and the changes in him are obviously showing because I kept stopping and going 'Stop being OOC; what is wrong with you!' -laughs- Hope you enjoy! Also, I really appreciate your reviews. Just wanted to clarify, since I am still shocked (and excited) when I get them. _

* * *

Bang, Bang it hammers in my head  
In my head, in my head  
Yeah, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death  
I will fear no evil for Thou are with me  
Locked and loaded gonna find my truth  
Now I'm busting through, all hell breaks loose

_-Excerpt from "Hammerhead" by __**Offspring**_

* * *

Tsuzuki wiped the sleep grit from his eyes.

He had slept long and hard last night, though it had very little to do with actually being tired. He held his head and groaned plopping back down on the plush bed. The sharp stab of light hanging between the columns leading from the balcony tried to dig deep into the backs of his eyes.

Then, as was his luck, his bladder urgently called for his attention and he slipped out of his bed, hand up and shielding his eyes. Squinting, he shuffled slowly forward and, when his foot caught on an obstacle, he fell flat on his face. Byakko continued snoring blissfully.

Tsuzuki groaned again. _Last time. That was absolutely the last time. _He promised himself for the umpteenth time after such activities.

Rolling over, he heaved himself up, hand covering his face at the reminder of painful sunlight. He attempted to quickly go outside towards the outbuilding, but uneven stone flooring kept his footing unstable and he stumbled frequently. "Tenkuuuu, knock it off." He whined softly. "Give me a break." The building murmured indistinctly at him and suddenly the floor didn't trip him nearly so much.

Safely at his destination, he did his business leaning against the lavatory wall and holding his head still. Washing up, he slowly made his way out and stumbled just shy of the large central fountain. He grabbed the sides and dunked his head in face first to try to clear it and stave off the sun's heat. Water streamed down his head and neck, and he fell gently back onto the tiled courtyard, eyes firmly shut against the harsh morning sun, enjoying the cool breeze on his face.

The chuffing, wheezing laughter of Genbu caught his attention. "Another failure to out-drink Byakko?"

He groaned, throwing an arm over his face to try to contain the throbbing. "Speak quietly. Pleaaase. My head's splitting."

"Perhaps if you learned from past experiences."

Tsuzuki made a noise somewhere between groaning and whining.

Genbu harrumphed, his walking stick clacking sharply on the ground. "I must know..."

After an excruciating amount of time waiting for the old tortoise to continue, Tsuzuki groaned again. "What?"

His ornery shikigami clacked his stick down harder, causing him to wince. "The name of the thirteenth shikigami you have contracted is."

"Hisoka." He mumbled petulantly.

"Hmmm." Tuttering, the wizened shikigami prodded him with a foot. "Have you any money?"

"You know I'm always broke, Genbu..." Tsuzuki whispered.

When the ominous sound of fingers snapping broke the silence, Tsuzuki cried tears of oncoming monetary loss as his protective fingers slipped just shy of the soft well-loved square that had floated up at Genbu's signaled command. The squat, old fart quickly emptied it of several large bills, tossing the wallet back on his master's stomach. "Thank you for your speedy payment. You have another twenty to go."

Peeking with a squint, Tsuzuki's eyes watered up pitifully. "But...I haven't summoned you in a long time..."

Genbu chortled, his staff slapping down on the pavement as he walked away. "Interest is due when interest is due."

Rolling over, Tsuzuki grabbed the sides of the fountain pushing himself up to dunk his head again._ Should've just left my wallet at home..._

"Losing a deal with a gambler was probably one of your worst decisions."

Tsuzuki laughed knowing it was one of the most harmless as well, and then groaned at the spinning pain that action created, sitting back in the small shade that the fountain afforded. "Yeah..."

"Need help getting back to your room, Tsuzuki?"

"Yes. Thanks Suzaku."

She reached over to him as she crouched, pulling him onto her back and lifting him with a soft 'oomph'. "Have you gotten heavier? I thought you laid off the sweets."

"I did." He mumbled against her shoulder.

Her nose wrinkled at the smell of sour alcohol wafting off his breath and hair. "You need a bath."

"Later." He answered hoarsely. "Just take me back to my room. I'm tired."

* * *

The heavy shoji door slid open and the master of the house looked at the serene scene the Shinto priestess made, kneeling before a set-up of incense and paper charms, head bent in murmured chanting. He was loath to interrupt the purification she was doing. However... "The sun is setting soon." Nagare said curtly.

Without seeming to hear him, she finished the chant and quickly put away many of the herbs and other items laying about, excluding incense and paper charms, into a triangular white cloth, making a simple holder for them with a large ceremonial knot about them. Sensing it was safe to enter, he did so standing to the side of the door to close and lock it from physical intrusion once she had gone. Miya, the only maid he trusted, had the only key to open it from the outside.

Carrying the white cloth bundle with her, the priestess looked at him, not leaving the room as he waited.

He could feel the slow descent of the sun like a knife slowly turning between his ribs. He calmed his breathing as his heartbeat quickened.

"What kind of kami are you cursed by and for what reason? I sense nothing demonic."

Reaching behind his ear, he slipped a finger under his blindfold and pulled the knot loose. When it slipped off, he looked into her mismatched eyes. "An angry one that my ancestor defeated because of the destruction and plague it threatened had the village not surrendered a child of the kami's choosing every summer solstice." It was a swift answer, one that held a sense of urgency.

She stood there for a moment longer staring at the reptilian hue of his eyes, but instead of asking the questions that lingered on her face she bowed and exited. He slowly slid the door shut behind her, locking the only possible exit out. He had only a few more minutes to snuff the incense out and gather the paper charms up to shut them away, before settling down near the center and attempting as was his habit to think of something other than those meddlers. He knew without a doubt that tonight the god would find out. The room was no longer oppressive with the god's insinuating energy and anger. It felt comfortable.

Its awakening was slow. Nagare made no effort to fight as he was pushed away from control and the god used his hands to set a kettle over the open pit slightly off-center in the room before summoning water to fill it and murmuring a spell to start an odd-colored fire to warm it. A ceremonial cup with the proper amount of powdered tea leaves in it was set next to him.

"I am displeased with you."

Tensing was automatic, but he smoothed down the flinch at the words. _A priestess arrived._

"You've been very sly to say nothing of it before she desecrated my room." Without warning, it dipped deep into his memories, deeper than he anticipated as it had grown complacent with his seeming obedience.

_No_. Nagare became lost in memory as they were forcibly skipped through. Several minutes later, he was left reeling in shock, a disgusted and horrified feeling roiling in his gut.

It knew.

The snake god checked its anger at the startled realization that Hisoka lived on as a shinigami. The memories for a time swirled on his host's recent, very brief conversation with the two visiting shinigami as if the god wanted to know more. With a sudden slam of his clenched hand to the mat, his jaw tightened as words hissed out between tighter lips. "Our son is a slave to that detestable... _Enma_, and yet you say _nothing_!"

Nagare mentally cowered, but was not cowed. Whatever was coming would hurt, very much so, but he had come to accept this as fact. He had suffered the past five years under this monster ever since that terrible night of discovery. _He is free of __**you**__. _

"How dare you! I will _never_ let you forget who killed him!" With sudden fury the god tore through his mind, no longer satisfied with tormenting him. His host fought bitterly as his mind fell apart around and within him. Fought to keep precious memories from crumbling, to keep himself together. Clinging and losing his mind as the snake god ferociously ripped memories, thoughts, and feelings apart without regard to whether he would remain whole afterwards. He howled in desperation and agony, his soul only able to tightly hold some, but not all, trying to remember, trying to pull his experiences back to where they were meant to be, where they ought to be. He _would_ remember. He _would_... forget.

A short laugh slipped from his lips. "No thought in your plans, Nagare. You should be ashamed." The snake god scooped freshly hot water from the kettle and added it to the awaiting wide tea cup. "There will be no more hiding from me. Your mind is mine. Your body is mine. Your seed is mine. I have slept enough, and will collect _everything_ that is mine."

So briefly he recognized what the god meant in the form of a fuzzy young face, but then the realization scattered as the god simply dispersed it like ants in a flood. Gasping, it was gone. Then just as roughly the god summoned a calm place. His mind was littered with broken memories. Scrambling he dug through the slivers, trying to find ones that fit..._ '-er's grave' "-ne, I-" '-or! I'll k-' "-skin dis-" 'ther. WH-'_ but what echoed was... completely incomprehensible.

_Nothing fits. _Sitting back he looked through the blue, empty mindscape, its ground littered with innumerable colors. He felt light, despite the sadness sucking him to the spot. A shadow leaned over him, but as he looked up the sun brightly lit in his eyes, and the sky rumbled as water came pouring down on him. Suddenly he was icy cold, and his breath shuddered out in shivering white puffs.

Why should he care what happens to the village or show mercy to the people who derided him for his unusual coloring in his youth? They had never expected him to be the next Head in line. His uncle had probably been treated the same way and his uncle before him. A twisted legacy for a family so important.

He looked up; the vista had turned an inky black. The glass an obsidian hue reflecting only him.

Revenge. That was what he wanted.

The firstborn had always been the Master, and always had been, until his father's decision. The same father who had ignored him when he wasn't criticizing his clumsiness. But, furthermore, he had never forgiven his father for making him the Head on his brother's 18th birthday. Iwao had bragged about the ceremony of succession up until they entered the room together; he had been shocked when his younger brother by three years had his name called in his stead.

The cold sunk into his chest; he smiled.

No, because the fool was jealous he had killed _his_ firstborn. How dare that fool try to poison him too? It was a lucky break for that stuffy shinigami to drink it for him.

A pleasant thought came upon him then, a mere flicker transforming into a burning, earnest obsession.

He would kill his no-good brother.

He bared his teeth. _Why stop there? This infernal village should be wiped from the map and all these revolting, greedy ones infesting it._

Once it was all gone, he _would_ be free to visit places he had never been permitted to, to go wherever he pleased, to have whomever he desired. What did he care aboout the village? Why had he protected those people who only cared for themselves? It seemed so unimportant now.

Standing, he looked towards the pitchblack door that had materialized. First, those pesky shinigami had to be dealt with.

As he opened the door, he paused thinking that he heard gleeful laughter but shook his head to clear it. Opening his eyes as he shifted how he sat, he picked up the tea whisk to prepare the tea and, when finished, turned the cup in his hand to take a long, deep gulp.

* * *

"DIEEEEE!"

Teiko turned without hesitation and fired multiple deadly spires into the bodies of the two attacking shikigami, watching impassively as they dispersed into lumps of dried grass and blew away by the furious wind fanned by her mood. She felt yet another spike of anger emanating from her bondmate, but he had remained tight-lipped so far. As far as she was concerned, it was her duty to protect him and the rogue shikigami should know better than attack them.

"Teiko, amigo, don't you think that's enough?" Riko's mournful eyes peered at her hesitantly.

The hei hei stopped her forward movement, and glared at the teal-eyed human avatar. "Would you prefer that we deal with the possibility of a massive attack by previously defeated shikigami?"

"So you kill them instead?" Hisoka's heated voice broke through before Riko crumbled under the weight of Teiko's glare which turned to her bondmate.

She scoffed. "They are rogue shikigami. Their pride is such that they are too tenacious to stop a fight that they start. Let us move on before it grows dark."

"No! We're talking right now." He threw out a hand. "What the hell are you thinking? Killing just to prevent a future fight is stupid! Some are going to attack now in revenge for their friends!"

"You cannot tell me what to do." Teiko could practically feel the rage building up in the slight human standing over her, but she merely flicked her tail in disdain at his sudden inability to understand.

"Master..." Riko interrupted softly, as if she were trying to calm him. "They'll be reborn... All of them. They won't remember who they were before..." The girl trailed off sadly. "But Papi said we are living ideas and ideas don't die so easily."

"Enough, Riko." He pulled his lip back in disgust, his sharp gaze not leaving Teiko's slight form. Teiko could easily tell Hisoka's sharp anger hadn't dulled the slightest in her direction, but at Riko's gentle assurances he seemed somewhat relieved, though still heart-sad. "I understand your thinking, Teiko, but it feels wrong."

Her hackles rose. "How dare you! I'm protecting you-"

"Next time we're attacked," he interrupted suddenly as if she had never started yelling again, "I'm handling it. I'll show you how to deal with them without killing them."

Her tiny body and wings shook with barely contained fury at his dismissal, barely keeping her mouth firmly shut though she growled threateningly. She would let him make a fool of himself. What did he think he could do better than her? Hug their enemies into submission?

"If you don't let me handle it, you're going back to Mount Koho by yourself." He murmured dangerously in her direction with a sidelong glare as he took up the front guard. She twitched her wings irritatedly in response. The King would be furious if that had happened.

The sky was darkening.

She heard the hiss of a weapon sailing through the air before three bark-type shikigami appeared into view. Hisoka had summoned a barrier with the fuda clasped between his front two fingers to ward off their attacks harmlessly, before signing and chanting something brief, pointing the spell at the weak shikigami. They were immediately encased in a barrier that none of their other special attacks seemed to even affect.

"Now." Hisoka stood in front of it, his arms at his sides looking unaffected. "You have two options; either you will apologize for attacking us and then go along your way, or you can spend as long as it takes for this fuda to disintegrate before you can escape." He frowned lightly as if imparting something they might not like. "I think Tsuzuki said that takes about a week to happen."

Teiko's jaw dropped. He couldn't be serious about letting them run free.

"That's right, that's right! Apologize correctly and Master will let you go without hurting you!" Riko added cheerfully.

The Trunks were shaking so badly their bark-like skin was dislodging and rasping against the other pieces, shedding shavings on the ground.

"Let's go, Riko." Hisoka turned walking away, and Teiko lurched protectively towards Hisoka when one of the Trunks slammed against the barrier with a dull, sparking thud. "We're sorry! Please forgive us, Shinigami! We thought... No, it doesn't matter. Please humbly accept our apologies." The Trunk along with its silent, rasping companions fell to what constituted as 'knees' flattening their faces to the ground.

Her bondmate paused then crouched near the barrier. "What did you think?" He pressed.

The Trunk rolled over flopping once to stand back up, it's long knobby nose pointed at the ground. "That you were going into our Woods to steal something precious from us, since you were encroaching so close to it."

"We're just passing through." With a wave of his hand, the barrier dropped and the Trunks with a loud rasp escaped in a flurry of bark shavings.

"Next time, they could lie."

"They could." Hisoka nodded.

"What then? Not all of them will be so easily talked down."

"We'll deal with it, case by case. If all else fails, Riko can provide an escape for us."

Riko's ever-cheerful affirmative irritated Teiko.

"So we'll run away because you're too soft-hearted to harm those who woud harm you?" Frankly, she was baffled. He seemed changed somehow from her original assessment of him. He was logical and rational and by all intents should be in agreement with her.

His hand came up and pressed against his chest. "I guess I am. To kill for no other reason but because you're scared of the unknown feels completely wrong."

Teiko turned her back to him to scan the deepening shadows among the bushes and trees. "We need to stop for the night." She stated evenly, tone brooking for a change in topic.

"I know a sprite village close by, since I lived around these parts!" Riko tipped her head back, holding her cowboy hat on her head to look towards Hisoka.

He felt chagrined at her deference as usual, and nodded. "Go on."

"I'll be right back!" She hopped into the bushes nearby, and they could hear her retreating running steps crunch on leaves and twigs.

"So, what did you mean yesterday?"

Teiko was caught off-guard as his emotions didn't warn her of such a serious question. She had to have a moment to think and he waited patiently for her answer. "The King had a premonition that the one who would bond with me would involuntarily dissolve it as well." She grimaced. "As he hardly tells me anything, I do not know what awaits us in the future."

"..." He went into deep thought at that, and the wind stirred around them in the eerie silence and the ever watchful presence of the forest around them. "Is this why you've been on edge?"

"How do you mean?"

He frowned, not sure either. It wasn't like he could feel shikigami emotions. "I don't know. A feeling, I guess."

She stood still and tilted her head, not having ever heard of her bondmate speaking of instinct or gut feelings before, and heard the comforting sound of her hair beads clacking together. "Perhaps I am." She sighed lightly shaking her head. "I have to apologize. My nerves are highstrung even in the best circumstances. I have been... uneasy."

"Apology accepted, even if it doesn't excuse what you did to those shikigami you killed. If their families and friends come after us..."

Teiko looked down as if in thought and then pulled her head up with a sigh, taking a seat on her haunches. "In this predominantly lawless valley, there are few blood ties. If an orphan is lucky, they are raised by a more reputable gang or are taken in by the rare struggling village." At the shock of emotion she read, she looked to his stony face. "Hisoka, when I said they were rogue, I was referring to the fact that our attackers by and large would not have such ties and we would not have to worry about our being attacked by those seeking vengeance."

He nodded lightly. She could tell Hisoka was worrying over something, but he didn't say a word about what.

They sat in somewhat less tense silence, as the sun fell well beyond the horizon drowning the sky into a starry night.

At the sound of brush being disturbed, Teiko was immediately alert, even though she sensed it to be Hisoka's contracted slave.

"I found the circle! This way, this way!"

They traveled maybe eight minutes or so swallowed by the forest, until they were suddenly upon a clearing cut from it. In the clearing was a lopsided circle of different types of mushrooms with several very large lights hovering over them.

Hisoka started when one of the light-sprites began to speak, and then strained to listen because the squeaks were hard to follow. "Welcome, friend Riko and friends of Riko. Be free to enter our circle, but do mind our garden!"

"Garden?" He murmured in confusion staring at the tiny, brightly lit creatures.

"Yes! Our garden, the one wrapping the circle!" They answered him.

The eureka moment hit him as he stepped carefully over the mushrooms with his two shikigami.

"Alright, amigoes. This little trip will feel disorienting so, Master, let's hold hands!" The short girl grabbed his hand without waiting for his answer, but he didn't shrug it off. She beamed up at him and he couldn't tell her to let go.

The sprites darted around them, dancing in a one-way circle at first. They slowly picked up speed until it seemed like their group in the center was surrounding by a wall of moving light. The forest disappeared and in its wake was rolling hills covered in sparse tree growth and tall mounds filled with the lights.

The effect made it extremely bright and he craned his head back to check the sky. It was dark and seemed starless.

Hisoka was startled when a very tall sprite with gossamer green wings stood glowing in front of them and bowed slightly with a flourish towards a path in front of them. "You are in the sprite village of Honey as guests. We are safe from attack here so be at ease. A dinner of edible mushrooms and buttercup nectar has been prepared." Hisoka glanced over to Teiko, who looked like she would rather not eat but said nothing.

"This way, if you will." The lithe form gracefully led them towards the mounds, and they entered.

Inside it smelled like damp earth and shimmering lights lit the darker areas shifting to lighten shadowy areas as the sprites vacated them. All the light-sprites they had passed and greeted were tall and wiry. It was difficult to tell the difference between sexes, but Hisoka did notice that there were no children sprites around. Teiko remained quiet while Hisoka and Riko returned the various 'Hellos' sent their way.

They were seated at a large table with other sprites, and then filled plates were passed around and set in front of them. Two sprites were playing music from a stringed instrument and a type of flute while a third sung. Despite the music's oddness, it was certainly beautiful to hear.

Nothing on his plate looked very appetizing. Without thinking much about what he was eating, Hisoka used the two-tined fork to spear two dark gelatinous sticks and ate them. The texture and taste were as he thought they'd be, mushy and musty with the flavor of mushrooms. He was hungry though, so he finished off his plate even while Riko got a second helping of it.

In contrast, the drink was very sweet and buttery, delicious but not something he could really like from what his stomach told him with its rebellious roiling. He leaned forward chin on his hand watching as the others around him finished.

Riko was on her third helping courtesy of Teiko who had been more than content to hand her full plate over, when he was handed a thick parchment. The glow of the sprite in front of him was more blue than teal, and as he opened it to read she fluttered away barely touching the floor with her tiptoes as many of her kind did.

He set it down. "Riko."

The bubbly girl looked up at him happily at ease. "Yes, Master?"

"Did you know that by staying the night we'd have to complete a job to pay for the food and everything else?"

"Of course! It's only fair."

He squeezed the bridge of his nose.

Teiko chuffed. "You think I didn't touch the food and drink because it was inedible? On the contrary, the difficulty of the task they assign us depends on what you take from them that which is freely offered. This includes spoken words."

Balking, Hisoka gave into the urge to sigh. "If you had told me that sooner..."

"And have the sprites angry with me? They prefer first-time guests to be in the dark. I do not wish to stay here a week with my wings bound in this tiny sprite existence." She noticed his eyes twitch and felt his unease. "Oh yes, we are their size right now. Their magic is potent and powerful, and otherwise they would not have been able to shelter us."

He took a deep breath, glad that Riko was still gorging on the mushrooms and thinking that she deserved whatever 'difficult task' she'd be assigned for dropping him in this blind.

With a belch, Riko pushed her chair back and held her full stomach grinning. "That was great!" Hopping off the chair, she tugged on Hisoka's jacket sleeve. "C'mon, I'll show you where the rooms are! You can pick whichever you like the most! There's a ton to choose from!" She let him go and spun around excitedly.

Teiko and Hisoka followed Riko, and true to her word there were numerous rooms running all along one side of the narrow walkway, and Riko explained that each room was different in size and decoration. "Plus, if you wanna know the secret to finding the right room, just close your eyes and keep walking down the corridor 'til you sense something different! For me it's a warmth right in my chest like seeing an old friend after a looong time." With an exclamation, she grabbed a doorknob on a door that looked like all the rest and opened it.

It was a cavernous room brightly lit with a ceiling so high it didn't seem to be there and colored with big puffy white clouds on a sky-blue background. The carpet looked like grass and there was a stream running through it. She let out a squeal, and threw an arm out towards it with a gigantic grin on her face. "My room! Good night, amigoes!"

The door swung slowly shut behind her as she laughed and ran out over the green, green grass, and Teiko sent a sour look at Hisoka. "I always sleep in the corridor. So whatever room you choose, I will be guarding from the outside."

Without Riko's carefree form and voice to fill the silence, the hallway felt menacing. Hisoka knew it had more to do with the fact that there were so many doors to choose from and no end to them in sight.

Remembering what Riko said, he closed his eyes, feeling the warm weight of the stone laying against his chest, and extended an arm to feel the wall that had no doors as he walked.

He could tell right away which doors he didn't want to open, but he hardly felt anything like what Riko said. On and on in darkness he walked until a heart-wrenching smell stopped him. The feeling of loneliness from a long absence tugged in his chest. Strange considering Tsuzuki's cooking was burnt as usual. He was compelled to turn towards the door and open it, but he stopped himself. Now really wasn't the time to think too hard about Tsuzuki, when it would only distract and wear him out.

His hand hovered for a moment and then dropped. He needed a place where he could rest easy, that didn't immediately remind him of his present problems. So he turned and continued on, all while Teiko followed after him.

The aroma of peach blossoms and fresh tatami mats assailed him not long after. He paused in front of the door, mind not quite sure what it was that drew him in, but...

"Would you make up your mind?" Teiko snapped peevishly.

It was familiar enough, so he turned the knob and opened the door, pushing it inward and stepping inside with a foot. A large traditional Japanese-style room laid out before him the doors to the garden opened wide to let the cool spring air in.

His heart felt frozen in his chest. It was his room. The one before...

No, he was not staying here. He stepped back many paces, expecting the gray wall and instead lightly bumped into a wooden wall. The hallway was as he remembered it, made of traditional materials, the well-loved cherrywood floor and frames with cream-colored shoji paper. The work was beautiful for all the hell it was painting with his emotions, his once-sluggish, shocked heart, now hammering wildly.

He knew from foggy memory the direction to the proper exit out of the main Kurosaki complex, but not out of this... sprite-room it was supposed to be. His eyes looked longingly at his old room as he leaned against the wall.

The nostalgia felt like a kick to each of his shins, since he hadn't been allowed to traverse the place he had begun to love and view as 'his' after he had been exiled to one of the old food cellars dotting the Kurosaki property. He carefully touched the frame of the shoji leading to his old room, smelling the peach blossoms on the tree out in the garden right outside.

Old pain welled up and with it tears that he hastily wiped away as he looked around throwing out his empathy to try to pick up anything. There was no one around.

He had to sleep. With stiff limbs, he went into the room and jerkily opened the closet that another faint memory showed a maid shoving his rolled futon into. It had been sized for a child, so he wondered if there was one he could sleep on. Across from him was a shelf with a rolled futon. He looked down and found a much smaller bundle on the shelf below that with a stack of linens and a matching pillow next to it.

Rapidly blinking to clear his vision, he took out what he presumed was the guest futon and rolled it out, then grabbed the sheets and a pillow from the top shelf and slammed the closet door shut with a thud.

It hurt to be in here. It hurt knowing how secure he felt back then with the full knowledge of the dank, dim place he'd been relegated to after his mother tried to kill him.

"Damnit," he muttered softly after making the bed and laying back on it once he'd removed his shoes that had tracked dirt across the tatami mats.

The maids would have had a coronary if they had seen the mess. Nevertheless, he was exhausted and his eyelids slid shut, but no rest came.

A thought stuck.

He should've picked Tsuzuki's room. At least he would have been reassured and gotten some sleep.

TBC.


	9. Revelations and Grease

_Author's notes: So I looked into harvest moons and such and typically they occur near the September equinox (formerly the autumnal equinox for those in the Nothern Hemisphere.) The only time they occur in October is early on in the month. Which means if Hisoka was raped the year of his 13th birthday, he was technically 12. I'm going with that. I know perfectly well that Muraki seems to have the magical ability to do things on a harvest moon, but I figure it's more to do with the fact he's more active or completes things during the early fall. Bastard. Also, kilometers were not officially in use in Japan 'til the late 1920s in the public sectors even though it was approved in 1909 as a legal standard of measurement. It wouldn't be the measurement standard until 1981, just to be clear. From what I read, there was a shiteload of opposition to it; y'know, take away the common Shakkan-hō measurement system, and suddenly you're un-Japanese. _

_Holy smokes, this chapter long. :D Enjoy, and as always candy to reviewers!_

_

* * *

_

I will dance so freely  
Holding on to no one  
You can hold me only  
If you too will fall  
Away from all these  
Useless fears and chains

Someone I am  
Is waiting for my courage  
The one I want  
The one I will become  
Will catch me

So let me fall  
If I must fall  
I won't heed your warnings  
I won't hear

Let me fall  
If I fall  
There's no reason  
To miss this one chance  
This perfect moment  
Just let me fall

_-Excerpt from "Let Me Fall" by _**Josh Groban**

* * *

_Wrapping loose hands around his knees, Hisoka sat on the dew-covered grass and stared unwaveringly at the red moon. He wished it wouldn't take the rest of the week for it to pass, but he knew it would. For Asato's sake, he had to at least wait outside even when the boy had no idea where he lived. _

_The lone cherry tree on top of the hill waved slightly in the briskly fall wind, losing a few leaves, branches, and some of its perpetual blooms in the dim light. None of the servants went near it because they believed it was possessed by malicious spirits that kept most of the flowers blooming until the leaves began to fall more vigorously as autumn progressed._

_"Sorry." He clutched his knees. "Sorry, Asato."_

_The color had only grown more eerie, deepening to an orange-red color the later it got. The fact that he had come outside at all surprised him, even if he was safely under the protective eaves of his cellar._

_A short shadow appeared next to the cherry tree and soon was lost in the backdrop of the dark hill. He shivered, but as the presence grew closer he knew who it was by the form. The emotions he thought he felt from him were false as they were mere projections of his mind. The doctor had told him so._

_"Are you okay? Are you hurt? Why didn't you come?" The questions came right after another, followed by the plaintive, "I thought you stood me up."_

_To answer, he nodded, and then shook his head, before briefly looking up at the moon, hugging his legs closer to his chest. "I'm sorry." The wind gusted and the cloying smell of cherry blossoms stuck in the back of his throat, flipping his stomach._

_"That?" Wearing a cleaner kimono with only some mud splatters along the bottom hem, Asato's eyes seemed to glow in the darkness as he looked up at the sky, and then back down. "It's just a harvest moon. It-"_

_"I know." He shuddered. He even knew it was caused by the Earth partially eclipsing it from the sun. "I know that."_

_The slight boy sat down next to him. "You're scared."_

_His head jerked up. "I am not."_

_"You're like a pill bug." Pulling his legs up and holding them to his chest, Asato plopped on his side rocking. "See?"_

_Hisoka pulled his arms away and forced his legs to lie down. "I am n-not!" He stopped the rest of the denial when his teeth began to chatter, and crossed his arms. He shouldn't be cold; he could feel the light heat persisting in the air, sticking to him in the light breeze. But it felt like winter under his skin._

_Asato sat up. "What's wrong?"_

_Shaking his head, he curled up against the wall, not able to bear feeling so cold. "How did you find me?"_

_The boy's mouth worked a little. "I... saw which way you left last time and just went straight."_

_The feelings were muted, but Hisoka didn't have to trust them to know a lie. It made him angry. Friends weren't supposed to lie to each other, right? "You always turn to go home when we part."_

_He couldn't read Asato's expression very well, but he was definitely not mad. A little worried maybe. "It'll sound like a lie."_

_Hisoka gazed suspiciously into the eyes of the other. "If you say it's true, I'll believe you."_

_The boy also leaned back on the wall and looked up at the moon with a deep sigh, worrying and thinking. Hisoka was glad that his mind blanked out around him, the voices silent in his head._

_Finally, Asato seemed to come to himself and turned back to Hisoka. "Promise?"_

_"I promise."_

_"Pinky swear?" He offered his smallest finger._

_"I already promised; If I break it, I'll drink poison alright?" Hisoka said, quickly tucking his hands into his sleeves relieved that his skin had finally started to warm a little._

_The boy dropped his hand. "I smelled you on the wind... and followed it."_

_Carefully, Hisoka brought his own hands up and sniffed, smelling dirt and little else. He tilted his head and sniffed his shoulder, the scent reminded him of his musty room with a hint of soap. He frowned a bit only because he had never heard of someone tracking someone else like that._

_It rang as truth in his head however unbelievable it was, which meant he shouldn't believe it. Just like the 'voices' he imagined were others' thoughts. He shouldn't believe them._

_He was suddenly worried that Asato was not real after all the meetings they had had. "Do you track animals or something?" It was a trick question of course, and he hoped the answer would prove he was sane for now. Otherwise all their conversations were pointless. He was glad no one was watching him in the middle of the night because being caught talking to nobody always left a lump of shame in his gut._

_"No. I knew you wouldn't believe me. That's okay. Sis doesn't either."_

_"But you said you smelled me about a kilometer away. That's just impossible."_

_"Kilo-what?"_

_It was weird that his friend could be so ignorant in some things. However, Hisoka was glad when he could finally tell how miserable the heat really was even in the dead of the night. This little detour had gotten them far from the topic of the red moon and his irrational fear of it. When Asato just blinked at him, Hisoka rolled his eyes and wracked his brain for the traditional measurements. "Close to a quarter ri."_

_"Oh, well the wind helped..." Asato picked at his worn, muddy clothes. "And it's not that far."_

_Deciding he didn't want to talk so much about more odd things when the cold began to quiver again under the sweat of his skin, Hisoka abruptly changed the subject. "Your sister lets you go out this late at night?"_

_"I don't sleep much, and she's glad I made a friend. What about you?"_

_"What about me?"_

_"Your parents let you out this late?"_

_Hisoka shrugged uncomfortably and looked away. "I like being up late. What's that have to do with them?"_

_"Well, don't they care?" Asato fidgeted, fingers tugging at his ratty kimono looking like he didn't really want to know the answer or maybe that he shouldn't ask. The worried frown seemed very determined though._

_After a breath's moment, Hisoka muttered the answer, "They care enough", truncating the rest of his thoughts about his filicidal mother and heir-hungry father. "I'm thirteen; I can take care of myself."_

_"Wow, you don't look that old."_

_Hisoka shrugged. "Runs in the family, I guess."_

_"Your hair color runs in the family too?"_

_"My dad is blonde like me, yeah."_

_"I never knew my parents."_

_Hisoka didn't know what to say to that. Asato's voice sounded like he actually wanted them, so he left it alone, listening to the hiss of the wind through the leaves and grass._

_"It's really quiet here, huh?"_

_"At night it is."_

_Restless, Asato shifted propping his elbows on his crossed legs. "Hisoka?"_

_He turned to look at Asato, questioningly._

_"What's your dad like?"_

_"Strict." At the look on Asato's face, he frowned thinking more. "It's like he expects more from me than I can do. He doesn't care about me. He only wants this Kurosaki-bot."_

_"Bot?"_

_"Robot. Like... not having emotions or feelings. No mistakes allowed, just do it right, do it perfectly every time like you've been programmed."_

_There was a longer pause this time like Asato didn't know what to say to that. "What about your mother?"_

_"What about her?" His voice had gone frigid because of the phantom hands that had begun to softly press against his throat._

_Asato's face filled with helplessness when he realized he had somehow misstepped with his question, and waved his hands trying to stop the anger he thought was coming. "I-I'm sorry!-Hisoka?"_

_A different kind of freezing had settled on his skin, and he could hardly breathe. His friend had a look of alarm on his face as Hisoka choked on nothing, clutching at his throat and gasping. 'Mother, I'm sorry. I'm really, really sorry. Don't cry!' But the words wouldn't be heard, couldn't have been as the clamp around his throat grew tighter and tighter._

_**MONSTER! FIEND! **_

_"HISOKA!"_

_As the blackness of his panic attack yanked him under, four condemning words echoed from the back of his mind._

_**YOU'RE NOT MY CHILD!**_

* * *

The wailing was loud enough to wake the dead, and Wakaba was thankful that she had begun her prayer with its purification tassels early. The servant assisting her looked ill and no doubt had no better idea what the fuss was about.

"Would you go find out what's going on?"

The servant, Nishiro, bowed and excused himself.

She finished the simple ceremony, setting the necessary implements into the rest of her bundle, packing it together. Standing, she lifted it and walked to the family altar room. Before she could open the door, the steps of a frantic servant wheeled around the corner. Dropping her hand from the door's handle-indentation, she turned to give her full attention. "Miya? What's wrong?"

She panted. "Master's... brother, Master Iwao..."

"Take your time or you might start hiccuping."

She spent a minute catching her breath and then stood straight. "Master Iwao is dead! And since one of Master's servants is missing, we think that the servant..." She bit her lip, but Wakaba understood what was implied.

"Where is the Master of the house?"

"He is stricken with terrible illness again. The village doctor told me he is to be restricted to bed rest and for him to avoid anymore stress." Tears had filled up the maid's eyes. "Master has been very weak of health for so long because of the curse!"

Again, the vague curse was mentioned. Unfortunately, she knew only the little that Nagare had chosen to reveal and what she could read from the house; it was generations old and failing. Furthermore, the only loving energy in this place seemed to arise from the timid servants in deep respect and loyalty to the cold Nagare.

"Priestess, what can I do to ease him?" Her voice cracked with emotion as she held her mouth and looked down to collect herself, arms down while she tightly fisted hands into the fabric of her drab servant's yutaka. "I apologize for my forwardness if it has offended, but I speak for the servants of the house. We all wish for our Master to flourish and feel well."

"No, no. Please. Tell me more about this curse. I believe this is the source of all our present troubles." Wakaba nodded regally, certainty filling her voice. "I have been told that it came from a vengeful kami who had often spirited children away."

Miya hesitated and glanced at the door to the family altar. "Before we begin, would it please you to move to a more comfortable place?"

She tilted her head forward in response and followed the maid to whatever destination she had in mind.

The path they took wound through the house avoiding the main hallways. By the time Wakaba walked into the room that was temporarily hers, she was very disoriented. Sitting down, Wakaba put the bundle to her right as Miya, after shutting the shoji, joined her, adjusting her kimono with a single, practiced sweep of both of her hands as she knelt. "Would you like some tea before I start?"

Wakaba smiled warmly. "No, but thank you for asking. Begin when you are ready."

Miya bowed her head down staring at the balled hands in her lap. "The curse means an early death for any who are foolish enough to grow close to the current Master or seek the family's dark secrets. As the stories my mother told me went, Yatonokami had ravaged our village centuries ago with disease and famine when no child was sent to him. Until the rounin warrior, Kurosaki Ren, came, our village was helpless against its rigid conditions and vengeance."

There was a long pause and Wakaba waited for her to continue.

"Other warriors had come before to try to slay the monster, but all had died. The kami had ordered that failed challengers' bodies would neither be buried nor respected as a warning to all of its cruel might. Because of that, the stony-faced warrior was not treated as a welcomed guest, so he camped while he waited for the kami to appear. When the moon became full, Yatonokami appeared from the marshes wearing a human's form with eyes the color of a green-and-yellowing infection and hair like yellow stilt grass..."

Wakaba's mind raced at Miya's pause. The current Head looked very similar to this kami's human incarnation, didn't he? She remembered looking at the paintings or pictures lining the family altar, and none of them had even brown hair before Nagare's succession. When Miya did not continue, Wakaba made an effort to not look impatient or stare at her critically.

"I'm sorry, priestess. This is hard for me. We are told from an early age never to speak of this story to strangers."

"I understand. So this rounin warrior, Kurosaki, did what others failed to do before him?"

"Yes, but when the warrior was about to deal the killing blow... Yatonokami transformed into a creature ugly beyond belief. The kami was like a very, very large snake, but it had thick, yellow arms almost like an octopus and large leather wings along its main body. Our ancestors thought for sure that the rounin would die when the kami spewed unnaturally colored fire..."

Tempering her voice to be gentle, Wakaba diverted the maid's attention. "He didn't and the village rewarded him by making him sovereign?"

"Yes... but before the kami died, he proclaimed that if the Kurosaki lineage ever ended he would rise again and destroy the village and all the descendants within."

"And do you believe this will happen?"

"Our little Master was taken from us and our Ladies, Master's first and second wives; all were lost to madness before their deaths. The old, retired servants say this is not simply happenstance for the Kurosaki clan as it has happened over and over again."

Wakaba remained silent and contemplative, not responding yet as she thought over the clues.

"Please, I... I have heard it, yes, I have heard it!" Miya's eyes were wide with fear and courage as she bulled ahead. "When the moon is full outside the room he refuses to leave at night, it tortures hm, telling him all sorts of nasty lies!" When the priestess showed no change in her serene expression not even a hesitation in breathing, Miya slammed both of her hands down bowing deeply, flushing in shame. "Please, priestess, please believe me! Our Master is all who is left standing between us and Yatonokami, and he is dying." The maid's tears were full and splashed onto the tatami beneath her, her voice tremulous and stuffy with phlegm as she cried without sobbing her entire form wobbling when she heard no response. "What can we do, priestess? We'll do anything to save our gentle Master. You're our last hope... I'm afraid a shinigami will take him away like they took Lady Rui and her unborn."

The reassurance that had been primed and ready to part from Wakaba's lips stilled instantly. It wasn't because Miya had deliberately spoken without the figurative meaning of shinigami intended. Underneath her red and white vestaments, her heart shuddered in empathetic understanding, feeling her eyes prick at the corners. "I will do my best. I believe I know what this kami is and the curse of misfortune it has lain onto the Master in your care. I do not know if I will succeed in saving his life, but I can at least tell you that this kami will not rampage through the village."

Miya let out a sob and then another as her shoulders trembled, unable to speak as she whipped her head side-to-side, quickly rising almost falling when she tripped as she lunged for the door. She missed the handle as her fingers tore through the shoji paper and slammed the door open running out without a bow or a word of excuse. Wakaba remained where she was as she listened to the maid's feet patter on the wooden floor until they faded from hearing.

Without a doubt, this 'kami' did not belong here. Even as her heart continued to hurt in understanding for Miya, Wakaba steeled her mind.

Nagare's scaly skin and eyes were clear signs that he was rejecting the snake god's cohabitation; his natural hair and eye color were probably black through and through as Terazuma's had been.

Taking a deep breath, she cleared her mind of the hundred niggling thoughts that were trying to invade. First, she had to speak with Hajime. His troubles with his shikigami made much more sense now that she knew one inhabited Nagare's weakening body. The amount of restraint that Kuro-chan had shown in his presence was astonishing when the littlest things would often trigger its transformation.

This accursed shikigami had escaped the separation between the human realm and its own, centuries ago, living within a host that had descended from the original challenger that had passed its dangerous test.

The reasons of motive weren't apparent, but Wakaba would send it back to where it belonged. It was the power granted by Enma himself, the ability to unlock the dimensional gate to the Imaginary World.

She had to protect this village, and if it was possible save Hisoka's father from death. For Miya, and also for Hisoka.

Standing with her bundle, she opened the shoji to the garden and walked out, passing a young plum tree with a marker in front where it was written, 'For the potential, lost forever in grieving, may spring come again.'

* * *

Sitting up, Hisoka stared in confusion at the blank, gray walls surrounding him. He turned his head and saw the door he had entered through and was immediately on his feet. Then stopped short when he realized he had slept on the floor without any of the blankets or pillows he had thought he had gotten for himself. Shaking his head clear, he thought it wasn't all that strange really. The whole room had been an illusion, though he had no aches or pains associated with sleeping on a very flat, cool floor.

The room felt very empty now that it triggered none of his memories, holding his breath when he expected more, but nothing more occurred. He put on his shoes, and was very glad when the doorknob turned in his hand.

There was only Teiko there to look up at him as he exited the room. "You do not look well-rested. Did you have nightmares?"

"No, just couldn't sleep." He scratched the back of his left ear, yawning with a hand over his mouth.

"Breakfast is ready, if you are inclined to eat."

"I'll pass." His stomach was in knots.

"Very well. Riko is outside performing her task as we speak. Shall we join her?" Teiko's eyes were thorough in their assessment as she went around him, casually checking for injury or other external cause for her bondmate's insecure feelings and finding nothing.

"Sure."

Teiko led the way back out of the very long hallway to the sunlit glow just to their right. Stepping outside, they met a child-fairy with short orange curls, orange garments, and bright red-orange transparent wings who stood as tall as Hisoka's chin, holding three scrolls. "Oh, you're finally awake!"

Hearing giggling, Hisoka looked behind him only to catch a glance of another batch of brightly dressed fairy children before they ducked behind a bush. Puzzled but not enough to go bother them, Hisoka turned back around only to have two skinny scrolls pushed against his right cheek, both of which he grabbed in reflex stepping back from the tiny body that had been so close he smelled a light fragrance of citrus.

"Open the blue one! The other one will open later to give you another task!"

"Do newcomers always have twice as much to do?" Hisoka asked in grated politeness looking at the sky-blue and the cream-orange one.

"No! Our Lord said you are very special and kind!" Turning to the winged cat, the cheerful child dropped a thick scroll at her feet, reaching out to pet her. "There you are! We're glad to see you back, kitty!"

While Teiko shrieked about the fairy's impudence, Hisoka set the one in his right down, and opened the blue one. Unwinding it fully, he read it. As Teiko's ire grew, more fairy children came out of hiding to try to touch her, and was chased in return. Hisoka felt amusement bubble up at the words on the blue scroll chuckling. When he had reread it twice to make sure he had understood the archaic words, he was laughing heartily.

Having never heard of this activity from her bondmate before, Teiko stopped and crept close to him with her ears and wings back. "What is the matter with you?" She barked out before the extremely brief laughter ended.

The light smile vanished as he frowned, returning to the serious facade he always seemed to carry. "They've assigned me as your debt collector until you finish all of the tasks they've given you."

She screamed shrilly at him, "WHAT?"

Ears ringing, Hisoka eyed her scroll his heart still at ease as he replied in his most scathing tone, the one he used on Tsuzuki when he claimed he had his paperwork finished, "Are you sure about that?"

When Teiko argued in the positive knocking the scroll away with a hard shove, three fairy children gathered around it, until the blond child dressed in royal purple with lavender wings boldly reached out and unknotted the cord. The tallest one in pink with nearly colorless wings picked it up by the two wooden handles with a great heave, tottering a little with its weight. The one in orange that had greeted them when they walked out, took a delicate hand and grabbed the triangular flap. As the fairy walked towards Hisoka, the scroll unwound with a quiet brushing sound that was heard between the noise of Teiko's continued rant. In all, it was about a meter long and 10 centimeters wide with tiny rows of double column ink on it. Only the last sentence in the bottom-most right corner was completely illegible.

"THOSE TASKS ARE IMPOSSIBLE TO COMPLETE! I REFUSE!"

When she panted to catch her breath, Hisoka found the opportunity he needed. "Teiko, almost all of the tasks are crossed off already. Come, look."

She hesitated, but gawked when she found this to be true and was stunned into silence.

Hisoka tapped the list. "You have four more items to complete and then you're done. So let's start with the next one..."

"Catch the wind in four directions and an important imp will be caught as well." He read off.

"You cannot possibly capture the wind!"

"Oh that one's easy, amigo!" Riko danced in place. "I even have an extra bag after my morning chores! You can have it?"

Teiko pulled her lip back, sneering.

Looking up from the steady scroll still being held open, Hisoka pulled his hands away from it, decision made after he had read the task after this one, ignoring the children surrounding them with quiet watchfulness. "Let's get this one and the next done before we go."

"No."

"But Teiko! I can show you how! You just hold the bag open like this~!" Riko held on to the sides of the sack an opened it as wide as it could go. "And then spin around in place when it's breezy!"

"Absolutely not!"

"Fine. We can stay here another night." Hisoka supplied with a bored tone.

With an aggravated noise, Teiko changed to her human form snatching the bag from Riko's offering hands, and repeated the actions as Riko had modeled. "There!"

"Oh, no, no! You let it escape, amigo, so you have to do it again! You must tie it to keep the wind from escaping!"

Arms held open wide, the sack suddenly lurched in her hands as Teiko spun in place while her beads clacked noisily, tying it as quickly as possible when she stopped. Setting the wriggling thing down, she glared at the cheering fairy children and Riko. "Enough!"

As they continued to make their noise, Hisoka watched as the item was scored off the scroll. "Looks like it's completed."

"Of course." She stated haughtily, crossing her arms.

Arching an eyebrow at her, Hisoka didn't say a thing about how she acted before, going to the next item. "Play with the children until lunch and don't forget to frolic."

"That's two hours away!" Her tiny wings bristled as she laced her words with ready confrontation.

"We aren't going until you've finished."

She snarled until a ball smacked her in the head, and then she was running toward the kid in a rage, screaming at him as he laughed and danced away. The other children followed suit playing a kind of dodgeball. Seeing the others have fun, the two fairies holding the scroll open dropped it on the ground carelessly as they ran after them. Hisoka bent over carefully rolling it up as it sat on the grass, standing upright when he was done.

"That looks like fun!"

"Why don't you join them, Riko?"

"Right away!" The petite girl in denim shorts and graphic t-shirt ran off, joining the chorus of giggling taunts and teasing laughter directed at Teiko, whose ire had faded into single-minded focus. Hisoka watched them attentively with a small amount of longing and envy, tainted childhood memories of his own outside play in the sparkling sunlight and clear skies surfacing passively.

_"Hisoka, let's play!" "Yeah, let's play Kagome, Kagome!" "You're the oni, Hisoka!"_

Lost in the memory of chained arms and bodies circling around him chanting the eerie song, he jumped, when Riko shouted next to him, "Master, let's go eat!"

Breathless from the amount of running she had done, Riko smiled broadly at Hisoka, when he just gave her a look, seemingly unaware that she had startled him. "You're hungry, right amigo?"

Shrugging, Hisoka still didn't feel that hungry.

Reaching over and grabbing his hand, she tugged him into motion back towards the largest hill. "Let's go eat a snack!"

Looking down at the large rolled scroll before he was pulled too far, he dropped the blue one next to it, deciding only to carry the other with him. He nodded, following Riko to the dining hall.

They were greeted a bit more warmly as they entered the mound. When he sat, a plate of light pink flowers with their centers removed was put in front of him. It smelled slightly floral but not like any flowers he recognize, and tasted tart. He liked it, and ate two plates' worth of the petals easily.

When they finished and went back out, they found Teiko seated, sweaty and irritated with the very young fairies in her lap and hanging off her shoulders.

"Tell us a story!"

"Yeah, tell us a story, kitty!"

"Brats, settle down-AND DON'T PULL MY HAIR!-and I will tell you a story." She frowned for a moment and then nodded. "What about story of Two Best Friends?"

"Boring!"  
"We've heard it a thousand times!"  
"And don't try to tell us about the other stories about the Four Great Wars, either!"  
"Tell us something exciting!"

"Since you _brats_ know what you want to hear, tell me _which_ story you want then." She hmphed at the children who were seated in a half-circle in front of her.

"I wanna hear about the Priestess and the Beast!"  
"You always wanna hear that one!"  
"What about Kurikara's Escape?"  
"Yeah!" "Yeahh!" "I wanna hear that one! I wanna hear it!"

Teiko raised an arm to silence them, and at the alarmed look on Hisoka's face she smiled. "It's just a story. One fabricated by the supporters of the Dragon King, the ones who were unable to fight in the Final War."

"But-"

Giving him a stern look, Teiko began interrupting whatever he was going to say.

"Many years ago, the frightful Dragon King lost."

Hisoka relented, embarrassed at himself for what he almost revealed. Kurikara may be escaping in the near-future, but no one knew that except for a select few.

"His once-best friend had cruelly ignored his pleas to free his supporters, and so the fire dragon languished in despair, shunning all contact with his people, too ashamed to face them."

"In his isolation, he began to re-forge his lost swords and dearest servants. The first was wrought in the fires of his fury and vengeance, and so Futsunomitama was reborn. It sung for the blood of his enemy and of violence and fierce might, and it sung of nothing else."

"As Kurikara's wrath ebbed, worn down by the river of time, he found the sword's angry song increasingly tiresome, but he couldn't bring himself to destroy his cherished war-sword because it had only acted as a mirror, reflecting the wrath he felt from losing. Thus, he lashed it to a wall with thick links of steel, commanding its silence. In this way, he returned to the forges with only peace and serenity in mind."

"Amenomurakumo's rebirth took months. Each careful layer locked Kurikara's great compassion and love into the metal. He rested a full two years so exhausted he was when his second sword was complete. When he felt ready to finally face his brothers and sisters of the lost war, he sheathed his swords and wandered out of the ruins he had occupied in self-penitence."

"Soon, he was awash among his supporters and was overcome with emotion because he knew they had waited for his return."

"Looking among the many faces around him, in his clenched fists he held his swords high. 'Which do you pick, my friends? More war, more hatred?' He yelled as he shook Futsunomitama in his left fist."

"The crowd became silent at his furious shout."

"He waved Amenomurakumo at them. 'Or shall we surprise them with our forgiveness? Our hope for a world without that fake Emperor?'"

"Again, his supporters did not answer out of deep respect for him."

"He placed his mighty swords into his belt with the utmost care, turning to look at them all. 'I have failed all of you; I have failed to prevent the Celestial Emperor's plan; I have failed to protect our world!' Kneeling on one knee, he bowed his head. 'Without you, I am nothing.'"

"He held his arms out from his sides, the left in a fist and the right open and welcoming. 'Whichever you choose, I ask for your forgiveness. If you can forgive my failures, stand by my side. Whichever way you pick, I will follow.'"

Teiko paused for far longer than she had before, and the two squirming children in her lap fussed. "What happened?" "Don't stop there!"

The other fairies voiced similar pleas, and Hisoka himself was surprised by how transfixed he had gotten by the story.

Taking pity on her listeners, she continued with a smug look. "When he lifted his head, no one remained in front of him or even beside him. He turned with great pride and joy. His brothers and sisters had chosen to stand behind him pledging to remain his pillar of support and trusting in whatever decision he felt was right and just."

"A huge grin stretched upon his face then. 'Follow me! To the land of our past lives!' With a powerful sweep of his hand, he tore a gateway directly to our homeland. Their freedom was now and Kurikara had decided." She took a breath. "The end."

The children clapped, cheering and tossing words of gratitude in Teiko's direction. At the sound of a heavy bell chiming, some looked up while others immediately scattered, running towards the dining hall. Very few remained to play out in the field with the ball they had initially used against Teiko, and Riko looked to Hisoka who nodded at her unspoken question. Running all out, with a whoop Riko joined the remaining five children in an unstructured football game.

"What did he choose?" Hisoka asked, feeling like the story was unfinished.

Standing wearily, the toga-wearing shikigami looked out at the children kicking the ball towards the 'goals'. "That is for the listener to decide, whether he extended an offering of peace or laid seige to Tenkuu."

Curious, Hisoka unwound the white scroll still laying undisturbed on the ground, noting that another line had been marked off and reading the task in the first column on the last line.

"What does the infernal thing say I must do next?"

"Proclaim your love."

"Love of what to whom? To you?"

Hisoka shrugged unhelpfully. "That's all it says, 'Proclaim your love.'"

She snorted arms crossed. "I won't be yelling this way and that every little thing I like to every random passerby."

Reading over the pre-marked-through items that looked equally unlikely to be completed but ultimately had, Hisoka frowned. "Maybe the opportunity just hasn't presented itself."

"Why do you say that?"

"Because in a sense you did 'Marry a human' and you did 'Change a Tengu's mind'." He pointed at the scored line on the list.

"And what of the last task?"

"I don't know. It's smudged."

She heaved a sigh and bent down to look at it, frustration flitting over her features. "What manner of prank is this? How do I complete a task that is unreadable?"

Hisoka stiffened, worried about a possible magical blacklash when, growling, she tore a strip off the bottom of the scroll and shoved the paper into his hand. "We are heading back to Mount Koho for we have dallied long enough!"

Calling Riko, who waved to the others as she headed towards Hisoka, they went to the entrance of the fairy's mound where very tall mushrooms loomed. Once they had regained their normal size, Hisoka and Riko bid farewell to the guards, the shorter of the two especially thankful for their kind hospitality, while Teiko transformed to her more efficient four-legged form.

"Come. The King is waiting."

* * *

"Ken!"

Squatting in his coveralls, the bronze-skinned youth tsked in annoyance, wiping his blackened, smeared hands on an equally greasy-looking oil rag in the corner of the garage he considered 'his'. "What! Didn't you want this engine fixed today?" He hollered back, sticking the rag back into his pocket and not moving away from the hood of a small car with a finicky engine. His three fellow coworkers continued working. It was a busy Saturday, and they were doing basic maintenance packages, like changing oil or performing tuneups.

Soft footsteps walked towards him. "Some kids're messing with your bike again."

"Let 'em. I'm busy, Myuji."

"I'm trying to tell you, Ken." Only able to see the bound-up, intricate black dreadlocks on the back of his worker's head, the manager of a small car-repair shop blew out his breath, wiping his forehead. "One of them is rolling it away."

Ducking free of the hood, Ken flashed a wide grin. "Now that's interesting." He pulled the rag out from habit and again cleaned his hands, reeking of oil and transmission fluid. "I'll go check it out." The short guy jogged out in his typical manner with a purposeful look on his face.

Myuji put his hat back on with a sigh of relief.

"Yo, where'd Ken go? The order for the part he needed came in." Nomi peeked around the corner. Not even in his thoughts did Myuji think of her as a secretary. His daughter hated that word.

"A kid was walking his bike down the street and he went to check it out."

"Hope the kid doesn't get sent to the hospital."

"Mm." He agreed. Frankly if Ken wasn't such a good mechanic, he would have kicked the guy out months ago. He was a loose cannon, especially if he was treated as an inferior. It was an odd way for an inferior complex to manifest, he had thought more than once.

Not a few minutes later, Ken walked back in breezily with a smile, and went back to his work.

"Hey, Ken. This what you wanted?" The slight woman stood about as tall as the short mechanic, holding the large package towards him.

"If those're the sensors and waterpump, yes. Thanks Nomi. Set it on the counter."

She did, flicking open her cardboard cutter and slicing the tape, so that all he had to do was lift the flaps of the box and take what he wanted. "So is the kid okay?"

"No, I broke all the bones in his body."

She whirled around, but at the look at his face she pouted. "Don't tease me!"

"You're so nosy." He went for the box after wiping his hands again. "The kid's fine. Gusoku liked him."

"Right. You forgot to lock the brake, huh?"

He smiled at her again, as he unpacked the box, his arms coiled with detailed black tattoos.

"Nomi! The phone's ringing nonstop over here!" She heard her father yell.

"Coming!" She yelled back, looking to Ken. "That badger really likes you around, Ken. Just be careful. The other mechanics think you're running from the yakuza."

He let out a surprised laugh at that and went back to work.

No one was chasing him yet and he would know if they had.

TBC.


	10. Paranoia and Jealousy

_**Author's notes**: Eep. Yeah, I was having trouble with characterization, again. I also learned some new things about Hei Hei politics and cultural norms. Since I don't want to spoil you, I won't tell you what._

_Thank you very much for your reviews!_

* * *

Goodbye  
Safe, heaven, new  
I'll be waving, goodbye

Return to see everything looks the same  
I don't know if the change made was grave  
Cause the craving remains the same

_-Excerpt from "Xerces" by_ **Deftones**

* * *

When Tsuzuki woke up, his thoughts were scrambled. The dream last night was fading, and it felt a little unpleasant thinking back on it. He remembered talking to Hisoka during a harvest moon in a marshy place he had never been to, but seemed familiar only in a way dreams share.

Dreams had meanings. In this case, having that chat with Hisoka obviously meant that he was lonely and missed him. He sighed. Any deeper interpretations would have to be left to fortune readers like Rikugo.

Getting up, he stretched his body in a full backwards lean. He felt pretty good, even if his head felt heavy. Compared to the hangover and unrelenting headache that made all of yesterday hazy, it wasn't bad enough to stay in bed.

Yawning as he picked up a fresh set of clothes, he went to the bathhouse. It was barely dawn, and his mouth cracked wide open more than once as he washed and rinsed.

Settling in for a deep soak after he was done, he touched the link with Hisoka as was his new habit and felt a clear signal back. He blinked, not thinking it was anything bad, just unusual since he often had to concentrate to read Hisoka. His partner was wide awake and amused about something. Nevertheless, the feelings were warm and welcoming and, leaning his head against a towel, he relaxed in the steamy, large bath.

"Good morning, Tsuzuki." The upside-down image of a young gray-haired man looked down at him with slight curiosity. "It is not usual that you are up before noon."

"Kijin!" It'd been awhile since this one had visited him alone. Tsuzuki shifted, turning to see him properly. "How've you been?"

"Concerned. Father is not handling the news of your partner's part-breed nature well. He sees bad omens everywhere." Arranging his robes around him, he crouched near him. "To speak the truth, Father has not seemed well since meeting young Hisoka as if he has seen an apparition he fears above all, and his decisions have suffered because of this."

"Can I do anything to help?"

"No, Father's fear will not be assuaged unless young Hisoka is nevermore, which I pray will never happen for your sake. More importantly, Words came to me when you first arrived. I entrust them to you now that we have no outside ears listening."

A little unnerved at the mention of how Hisoka's mere presence scared Sohryu, Tsuzuki focused for the time being on what was being said. "Tenkuu can listen just as well as anyone else."

"But It does not speak of dire secrets to those who may be unloyal."

Tsuzuki frowned. "Unloyal?"

"As I said, Father is no longer himself. You may not know in ignorance of our history, but Suzaku and the past incarnation of Byakko had sided with the Dragon King in the beginning, until they had learned of his true motives. As such, they cannot be trusted if he should return. Kouchin, Daion, and Taimo lack strength great enough to handle a true Dragon, while Tenko is too young to handle this situation appropriately. Furthermore, under suspicion of treason, Rikugo is currently disallowed from leaving Tenkuu's walls, and yet Genbu is backing his innocence. It appears Genbu's once sharp mind is failing him due to senility."

Standing, Kijin's look was fierce. "So as you see, there is no one else I may rely on."

"Rikugo's under house arrest?" Tsuzuki felt his question go unanswered when Kijin's eyes began to glow and then his words of power flowed from his lips.

"On the tail of Nyx when Bendis' hands are empty, the calamity of the Immortal One approaches, and a well-hidden secret will be exposed. These words I swear are true." Kijin closed his eyes.

"Do you know what they mean?"

"Disaster will strike at predawn of the new moon. As for the rest, I do not understand their greater meaning. I have never heard of the Immortal One. Excuse me, I must go back to Tenkuu's storeroom of records, since my Father and the others are of no help to me."

The young shikigami bowed solemnly and turned.

"Kijin!"

He didn't pause as he floated slowly across the floor to the nearest exit.

"You shouldn't only rely on yourself!"

"My apologies, Master. Tenkuu, you, and I are the only ones I trust at the moment, so I must take this course of action. I must protect our country in lieu of the coming invasion." Without pause, he passed out of the stone archway going far beyond hearing anything more that Tsuzuki might say.

Climbing out of the bath, Tsuzuki dried and dressed. Even with the new moon just a day away, he seemed unhurried in his movement. Worry slowed his limbs until he stopped buttoning his shirt up.

Kijin would know if he told any of the others; they had a way of passing information this hot around quickly, and he couldn't just overtly break Kijin's trust. At the same time, it didn't seem smart to not tell the others.

_Enough._ First, he'd have breakfast. Maybe food would give him the energy to deal with this kind of mess. Coupled with Kijin's Words, the warning Wakaba had given him to came suddenly in his head.

_'One is banished from home, one is banished by blood.'_

_Hisoka, get back here soon. Otherwise..._

* * *

Turned away from his partner, Terazuma chuckled mirthlessly, cigarette held away from his face.

"Hajime... This is serious."

"I feel pity for the guy. Poor bastard's still alive. It hurts plenty when my body changes unwillingly, can you imagine how that would be for him?"

"So much pain..." His partner's shoulders drooped a little. "On top of having just lost his only remaining family..."

"Yeah, about that." Terazuma frowned. "When I checked around, nobody seemed to like the brother. Besides that, he's the one who had a fist on the throat of the police, so now they'll be looking into allegations against the Kurosakis after checking into his homicide." He puffed on his cigarette. "They won't find a damn thing to incriminate anyone with on the inside because everyone's mum. The only evidence they'll have is going to be riddled with flimsy evidence and rumors, and the Head... Well, I doubt he'll testify about anything. That is, unless they somehow find reasonable suspicion to get a court order to exhume bodies from the graveyards."

Wakaba remained silent as he flicked the ash off his neglected cigarette.

"Even then, who would they try? The current Head is in such sad shape that no one would believe that he was capable of murdering someone. With a good Defense attorney, the jury would find that he was a man of misfortune, who indeed seemed cursed by fate."

"Does it frustrate you?"

Inhaling one last time before stubbing the cigarette on a rock and dropping it on the ground, Terazuma grunted. "What's the plan?"

Wakaba's face was next to droop, but she quickly covered her mood. _After all this time, Hajime still won't share his thoughts with me..._ She cleared her throat. "After sealing the shikigami, I'm going to open a gate to the Imaginary World. While you guard the entrance to make sure nothing else passes through the gate, I'll lead Nagare there. Then I'll break the contract and have them separate. If Nagare survives, I'll bring him back here. If not, I'll take him directly to his judgment. Either way, once the gate closes, you can go back to the Judgment Bureau and wait for me."

"Sounds good. When do we start?"

"This afternoon, and it'll have to be out of human sight. I was thinking we could use the area at the back of the Kurosaki property. Or I saw some abandoned storerooms that might work..."

The black-haired shinigami nodded with a gruff face, lighting up another cigarette and clicking his lighter shut. "Got it. Anything else?"

"Before you bring Nagare here, make him hold onto this, until I can seal him properly."

With another nod, he took the wooden talisman and headed towards the mansion that was entirely too large for one person and a staff of twelve.

* * *

After walking for hours, Hisoka's feet and legs ached. He was exhausted, yet surprised at himself at the stamina he had. Before the bond had passed to Tsuzuki, he would have collapsed or gotten a fever from overexerting himself. Now, it felt good, knowing he wasn't a liability in a fight anymore.

"Halt! Who goes—Oh, Master Teiko, please pass on."

"You ingrates! What kind of welcome is that?"

"We're terribly sorry." "We meant no offense, Master Teiko."

"Well, I am affronted by your lack of surveillance! If you had scouted properly, you would have known that this was my entourage!"

The two identical gray and black four-legged guards sat hunched as if humiliated by Teiko's words.

"Hand over the dice before you knuckleheads decide to get distracted again."

"We have no dice, my lady." The winged cats glanced at each other.

"Hack them up before you make me angry with your falsities."

Standing, they both leaned their heads down and after some heaves, did just that. The small dice glistened with stomach fluids. They looked sick whether from the deliberate expunging of their stomach's contents or from fear, Hisoka wasn't really sure. The whole thing was gross.

Transforming to her Human form, Teiko scooped them up negligently and dropping it into a small, bulging worn pouch from her draping clothes, glaring down at them. "This will be reported to the King. I hope that he is not lenient with you for endangering the kingdom. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Master Teiko." Two equally unhappy voices chirped.

"Come, Hisoka, Riko."

It was only an hour more when they finally walked into the city outskirts, which surrounded the domed towers standing around the dome in the middle.

Excitement seemed to electrify the air; the city-dwellers bustled past them hoisting all manner of things, but the overall mood seemed expectant and happy. Riko clapped and spun in place. "A party! It looks like there's a party!"

"There aren't any festivals this time of year. What on earth is the King thinking?"

With his shikigami in tow, Hisoka passed by winged cats of various sizes and colors, carrying decorations or cloth-wrapped bundles. The air smelled smoky from the barbecuing of fish. Everywhere he looked, paper streamers and ribbons of bright colors were tacked up on houses with equally colorful carnations.

Careful to never be too far away, Riko ran back and forth as she chased young, giggling hei hei who were frolicking about, probably sent out by parents who didn't want them underfoot. Watching her, Hisoka couldn't help but wonder how Riko had gotten over her bitterness of being an orphan growing up in such a dangerous place as that valley.

"You!" Teiko barked out suddenly.

A tall, long-haired black form turned, a basket of fresh loaves of bread within its forearms. "Me?" The hei hei squeaked, its ears perked up and tilted curiously.

"I demand to know why festivities are taking place."

The hei hei curtsied lightly. "In honor of the King's fortuitous engagement to a Lady of course. Please excuse me, madam."

Riko's giggling undercut Teiko's shocked silence. Glancing at her stony expression and knowing what probably caused it, Hisoka turned back towards the wide road that headed straight for the fortress ahead. While he couldn't imagine Tsuzuki rejecting him so utterly, his heart felt constricted in his chest like someone had squeezed it in response to Teiko's situation. "We should get going. You have a report for the King, right?"

"Yes. It is important for the well-being of our country." Her voice had edged with steel, not growing faint in the slightest.

An hour later, they were set upon by servants who made noises of displeasure at the sight of travel-stained clothes on them. "I am glad to see you are well, High Commander Teiko. How was your honeymoon?"

Hisoka stiffened. _Honeymoon?_

Again, Riko giggled for no apparent reason. The maids around her tittered, and Hisoka thought that maybe their 'honeymoon' was the cover for Teiko's true objective. He relaxed some, even while Riko hopped from foot to foot looking like a somewhat happy—but bored—child.

Teiko answered. "Wonderful. The Tengu were generous hosts."

"We were awaiting your arrival since the Tengu's messenger arrived last night and left early morning. Since you had left the Tengu so quickly, their messenger brought a wedding gift for you and your partner."

"Did they? How kind of them." Teiko smiled. "Present them to us immediately so we may send a correspondence of thanks."

The servant tapped a hind-paw on the floor, and quickly a chest was brought forward by two other servants. Taking a key from the ring on cord slung around his waist, the servant unlocked the chest and opened the lid with a flourish of his paw.

Inside was a bundle of soft-looking, embroidered cloth, a leather belt, several pieces of jewelry, and a quiver of dark blue arrows.

"They give us arrows with no bow?" Teiko asked contemptuously.

"Ah... We asked the messenger if perhaps it was lost, but she assured us that there was no bow that came with her weighty parcel."

"I see." Teiko sniffed. "I am gracious enough to accept anything the Tengu would offer. Is there any other news you bring to me?"

"Well, you know of the festive arrangements outside? When you left, the King made news of his engagement to the Lady and how they would marry once you and your husband had returned. Of course, you and your husband and his servant are more than welcome to come to the wedding banquet before the ceremony."

"Did he?" Teiko's voice was rough, grating as if she had bit into something she didn't care for. "Is he perhaps holding private audiences?"

"Oh no. He has declared that he would not do so until he was happily married."

The more he listened, the worse Hisoka felt.

"Very well." Teiko sent a scathing glance at Hisoka. "We must prepare for the feast and since we are in no form to go as we are."

"We have filled baths and a suite already aired for your use, madam."

When they were taken to separate rooms by hordes of servants, Hisoka gasped when he was suddenly surrounded and stripped of his clothes. When there was an opening, he practically jumped into the safety of the tub full of warm, soapy water conveniently ready for him.

He glared at the servants who approached with long-handled brushes and ducked most of his body into the water. "I can wash myself."

"As you wish, sir."

Having seen how Teiko tried not to be affected by the news caused Hisoka to think of what he left behind waiting for him in Tenkuu_. Tsuzuki is alright, right?_ He was left with a brush, and he sighed scrubbing himself as he blushed. Why did his chest hurt and his face always burn like he was embarrassed to be thinking of him? They were in love, so what was with that reaction? He paused. _We are in love._

He flushed, dropping the hand with the long-handled brush back into the water. Logically, he already knew that, but it had taken this long to really sink in because... _What more does Tsuzuki want from me? _The tiny voice rose from wherever he had tried to hide it._ Is it sex?_ But the dream they shared so long ago was practically a phantom to him, not something he could really be scared of. He held his wet, warm hand to his lips. _Was kissing really like that?_

He flushed even worse and felt something else stir between his legs. _No, you don't._ He stood up, since the very warm bath was trying to make it worse, and then stepped out of the bath.

Seemingly from the woodwork, the three servants from earlier surrounded him with buckets of water and he covered his privates in mortification. "What are you—"

"We'll rinse you off!" And three bucketfuls of warm, scented water were thrown onto him.

Unable to speak as he coughed up water, he balked when they approached with towels, backing away. Unfortunately, he stepped off the mat around the tub and onto the slick floor.

Predictably, with his hands otherwise occupied, he slipped.

* * *

"It's a shame your husband and his servant couldn't join us." The beautiful, sleek hei hei was decked out in frills and silks and sequins. "Aren't you a bit lonely without him around?"

Preferring to remain in her Human form this time around so she sat taller than the Lady, Teiko felt drab next to her in her simple lilac satin toga and silver and gold hair-beads. "Riko is with him."

Lady Ohana laughed and Teiko swore it sounded like rushing water. She was seriously getting pissed. "I'm sorry, my Lady. Did I say something funny?"

The Lady drank from her dainty, jewel-encrusted cup and smiled. "I asked about how you were faring and yet you talk about what company he keeps. It's very endearing to see in a mixed couple like yours."

Teiko grimaced into the fish she had taken a bite from. _No, I'm not lonely. Certainly not ever because that idiot human hit his head and left me to deal with this situation._

"You disagree?"

"I do not particularly like humans. They are noisy and short-lived, so I find it degrading to compare my bondmate to them." _He is a shinigami, a being that merely carries a human soul, and quiet._

"Well, I have met many in my long life, even the Tsuzuki of Twelve. I heard your husband is partnered with him at his job. Very sweet fellow, Tsuzuki is, if overly sympathetic to the Emperor's allies."

_Why must I talk to this woman? Is there no one else who would willingly sit near me?_ Teiko seethed inwardly. "I do not feel like speaking of such a powerful slaveholder."

"And how does your husband escape this label?"

"The girl was orphaned. Better her a slave than a brigand. I have also seen her be disobedient without punishment."

"Hmm." The Lady took several more bites of the lavish food on her saucer.

"Ah, my dear. I am back." In his Human form as well, the King, having finished for a time brushing elbows with his people, was clad in a truly bedazzling outfit that glittered and swirled if one paid too much attention to it. He leaned forward and kissed both of the Lady's furry cheeks.

Feeling something snap, Teiko slammed her human paw down. Inside her heart felt crushed, while she tried to smile. Her eyes looked like they could kill though.

"Teiko, what's the matter? Was the fermented catnip too sour?" The King asked earnestly.

Pissed beyond words, Teiko looked pointedly away, sipping her wine.

"Your friend seemed to miss your company. She wasn't very good conversation for me," the Lady simpered.

"Dear, I have told you before. She is a close companion, not simply a friend."

"Oh, my mistake." The Lady fluttered her ears innocently.

With a heavy throw, the glass Teiko had been taking a drink from shattered on the floor in a splash of burgundy wine. She howled in rage, "How dare you! Do you think I'm a fool? He is MINE, so take your paws off of him before I rip your face off!"

The Lady barely batted an eye as she stood up on her hind legs, her voice loud and carrying across the very large and suddenly quiet room. "You never laid public claim on him. Furthermore, the King engaged me." Bravely she turned around with her nose up and ears cocked. "How greedy! You already have one husband!"

Before Teiko could throw herself at her petite frame and tear her pretty outfit to shreds, the King stepped between them with a fierce look on his face directed at Teiko. "You will not harm my future Queen."

Stepping back Teiko felt overwhelmingly confused and stunned. Hundreds of eyes were on her and she wanted to shrink away in embarrassment. In a low voice, she hissed, "I demand an immediate annulment."

"The only circumstance in which annulment is performed is if consummation of the contract has not been met. I bore witness to this event myself when you exchanged vows." The King sounded weary. "You knew this, yet you—"

"Then I demand a divorce!"

The cavernous room became hushed. Divorce only ever occurred if one of the partners had died.

"Are you asking me to execute your husband?"

"He has not and will never perform as a proper bondmate."

"What are you saying, Teiko?"

"I love you, you fool King! That bumpkin I was married off to is no substitute for yourself!" She felt the tears stinging at the corners of her eyes but swallowed them down.

The King's weariness fled quickly from his figure and his eyes crinkled as he turned to gaze down at the Lady standing behind him. "What did I tell you?"

Lady Ohana curtsied with a mysterious smile. "May your future together be everlasting."

"Thank you for the wonderful blessing, Mother."

Teiko's jaw unhinged as her heart jumped up in her throat unexpectedly. What she had seen as mere opulence in her angry jealousy now, she realized, were gilded vestments of a Holy Mother, a benevolent figure of Order and Justice.

The King knelt with a hand outstretched. "Teiko, my darling, would you allow me as your second husband?"

"You fool." She grabbed the hand and pulled him to standing. "Of course I do." She wrapped arms around his shoulders, and they kissed.

It was a long kiss, mostly because it was a long time in coming.

"I do pronounce thee contracted for life." The Mother intoned solemnly as she fanned herself with an ornamental fan and her ears perked forward happily.

"HOORAH!"

"HOORAH!"

"HOORAH!"

And the singing began as bells rang in the distance...

* * *

"No, it can't be the timer belt. It was changed yesterday!" A loud clang sounded with a frustrated noise as the wrench in his hand whumped against the marred counter. "Of course, why didn't I think of that? I'll just waste two more hours checking the spark plugs and the seals on the cams for just in case! Damn thing's a clunker."

Peeking around the door frame to her father's office, Nomi watched Ken rant to himself. He had a habit of that, but it usually wasn't particularly frightening.

When Ken finally sat down after kicking the ground, brown-eyed Nomi took a thermos of coffee to him. "Here you go."

He took it and drank it down, fingers worrying at the rubber seal along the edge of the lip of it. Standing up suddenly and shoving it into her hands, he went straight back under the car hood, and started fiddling with something as he muttered to himself.

Wondering if she should refill the thermos, she looked up to see her father gesturing for her to come back to his office. He closed the door after her. "Does he seem to be having any luck?"

"Well..."

Myuji sighed. "If anyone can get it running, it'd be him. The customer will be back in a few hours, there's not much time left."

Their ears perked at the sound of an engine turning and almost kicking on before dying with a sigh. Another clang followed, and then silence.

"I think he can do it, Dad. The guy's a miracle worker with cars. What are we gonna do if he leaves?"

Another clang sounded.

"He's a drifter. His type doesn't stick around for long. I've been expecting him to up and leave all month."

She frowned.

There was a whoop of excitement and the next thing they heard was an engine roar to life and stay alive.

Myuji opened the door and took off his hat to scratch his head. "Well, I'll be..."

Reappearing from around the car that was happily idling, a filthy Ken grinned wiping his grease-covered hands onto the rag. "Got it running, boss. You owe me some bonus!"

With a pronounced roll of his eyes heavenward, the old man reached in his jacket and produced an envelope, handing it over.

Nomi grinned. "Great job, Ken!"

"No sweat." Before Ken finished thumbing through the packet of money, the young man stiffened slightly and looked towards the western wall of the building. "Aww, hell. Sorry, old man. Looks like my job here's over." Pocketing the cash and dumping the rag on the counter, he swiped up his leather jacket hanging on a hook next to the exit and slipped his tattooed arms into it.

Startled by his sudden decision, Nomi was a bit angry, not realizing that she had a crush on him. "Where are you going so suddenly? It's almost lunchtime!"

The smudges on his face looked like some kind of warpaint in the lighting, especially matched with that cocky smirk. "Home."

Nomi blinked, the anger she felt at his sudden decision disappearing. _What a weird guy._

"Any time you want to come back here, you'll be welcome here," her father stated gruffly, knowing he wouldn't see Ken again.

The last thing they saw of him was the half-cocked hand-wave he gave without turning back.

TBC.


	11. Tussles and Rage

_**Author's notes**: This chapter was really fun to write. I hope you guys enjoy reading it as much as I have had writing it... Finally things are unraveling.__ Enter: Kurikara!_ :D _Thanks for the review, **Literary Eagle**!_

**Warning:** Language, and some OOC-ness.

* * *

I dream of rain  
I dream of gardens in the desert sand  
I wake in pain  
I dream of love as time runs through my hand

_-Excerpt from "Desert Rose__" by_ **Sting**

* * *

Stepping a good distance from Tenkuu, Tsuzuki breathed in the moist air of the forest he was standing in. "Touda, I need to ask you something."

The figure dropped from the branches like a silent guard.

Without turning, Tsuzuki grinned glad for once that he was dogged at every turn. "If you were told that somebody dangerous was coming, but that it'd be even more dangerous to prepare for it, what would you do?"

"I would prepare only if you would be in danger."

It always saddened Tsuzuki that Touda was so apathetic to the others. He turned with a serious expression, directly meeting the barely-seen gaze behind the dark visor. "What if it was Kurikara? You two must have been close if you were locked up for working together... Would you have prepared then?"

Not a muscle moved at the mention of the legendary Dragon King. "I do not recall what you are referring to, Master. I would only prepare if your safety were at risk."

That wasn't right. If he didn't know Kurikara, then why was Sohryuu so scared of him? Why lock him up at all? Tsuzuki shook off the thoughts diverging from his present problem. "Thank you, Touda. I'll go tell the others."

Touda tilted his head ever so slightly, and whether he knew or not already Tsuzuki divulged what he discovered so far. "Gensoukai is about to be invaded by someone called the 'Immortal One' tomorrow morning, whoever that is. Have you heard of him before?"

"No, Master."

"The Tengu said something about Sohryuu and Kurikara being the catalyst in this mess and two others being banished, one from home and the other by blood. Maybe Hosogyokumon's the Immortal One? Why else would they banish him? I know that shikigami can be killed and reborn without their memories... but what if this guy's ability makes it so he can't be killed?"

Knowing that Touda wouldn't answer unless it was a direct question, Tsuzuki continued. "Hell, if he's the one who was banished by home and is also 'Immortal', then who was banished by blood and what the hell is this 'secret'? It couldn't be about Hisoka right? I mean his name basically means 'a well-hidden secret', but he was killed by Muraki who isn't related to him."

Tsuzuki made a frustrated noise. "Damn, I'm just going to go in circles thinking like this." Turning back to Tenkuu, Tsuzuki sighed. "Touda, do you think that if Hisoka's my shikigami that I can..." He trailed off when he noticed that Touda had disappeared again. Tsuzuki chuckled. "Sometimes I think you act like a jealous cat when I mention him. I can't believe I have to order you to be nice to him."

Silence answered him.

He knew that if he wanted he could call Touda back to talk his ear off in person, but he knew he had more important things to do.

He didn't know why Kijin had gotten so paranoid and closed off... but Tsuzuki couldn't not tell his shikigami—the ones who could do something about the mess they were about to land in—about everything he'd learned, even if it meant he had to betray Kijin's trust to protect him.

* * *

Scaly green eyes peered at Terazuma suspiciously, while the Black Lion growled throatily in his head. _Easy now. If he gives us trouble, feel free then. But for now, easy._

The Black Lion didn't like this and he could feel claws digging in his head like a lap cat who was very annoyed with its owner.

Nagare was in a state of disarray, his bandages in pieces on the ground around him and his hair unbrushed. "What do you need, Shinigami?" The sneer slipped out of his once-polite mouth.

"For you to get your ass up and follow me. Remember? I was supposed to look you over, but we found a more private place for us to do it."

"Certainly." The man stood like he was 60 years old and pulled on his over-kimono and slipped on sandals. The skin around his throat and neck looked as scaly as his eyes.

The Black Lion snarled, so Terazuma quickly lit a ciagrette while he followed the man out, sucking down hard on the smoke. "That's some freaky skin problems you have there."

"It's passed down in the family. My son doesn't have the same?"

_Why the hell would the kid have scales? _Terazuma started. "Nah, his skin's about as smooth and flawless as a girl's." He added, "People who die and become shinigami look the same as they did when they were alive."

The shouji across from the family altar room was thrown open by a casual flick of Nagare's wrist, and the blond-haired man stepped down into the rock garden, heedless that his kimono dragged on the perfect raked lines of sand. "He is very beautiful, hm? Takes after me."

Through his eyes, he could feel the Black Lion itching to rip a head from a body, and he couldn't say he disagreed. Nagare was giving off some serious 'creep' vibes talking about his kin like that. "Hate to break it to you, old man, but you are ugly."

The blonde's shoulders flexed lightly at the insult, but the serene expression seemed unchanged. "A pity that time wears out beauty, isn't it?"

Terazuma snorted, not wanting to continue conversing with him.

While Nagare kept a running monologue about the scenery or this bird and that—which Terazuma could care less about—they walked to the very back of the Kurosaki compound to the last shed at the edge of rolling marshland where far beyond were the telltale hills of an old levee system.

The storeroom was a worn, old thing with a saggy roof and rotting walls, but to Terazuma it was salvation. Something was amiss with the man; whether Nagare had shown his true self or had become unstable, he wasn't sure, but he and the Black Lion were ready to cut him down the moment he showed his fangs.

"Welcome, Kurosaki-san. This way please." Having appeared in the doorway leading to a very dimly lit room, Wakaba was waiting for them with a tired smile.

Terazuma with some effort and a splinter rolled the door shut behind him. Across from the threshold, there was a crude archway built of logs and tied with black twine, the topmost part leaning against the wall.

With a quick movement of her fingers, Wakaba signed and slapped a fuda to Nagare's front. "Seal!"

The man suddenly collapsed howling, limbs spasming, while Terazma stood mouth agape.

"Hajime, that contract with the Kurosakis is almost broken. What you spoke to was no longer Nagare. While I finish the portal, make sure he stays put." Wakaba stood in front of the gateway and stacked her balled fists in front of her chest, murmuring an incantation, before grabbing her tasseled stick to wave as her chanting grew more heated.

The wood began to glow white as she continued and static sparked along the bark.

Nagare's eyes opened and he snarled lunging for Terazuma, who dropped his cigarette and transformed with a roar. The Black Lion pinned the puny snake-smelling human down with a ruthless intent as it squirmed underneath its paw.

There was something buzzing outside, like a bee, but the Black Lion ignored it in favor of its captive. The nice miko was almost done with the incantation; the beast could feel the nostalgic energy strumming to completion.

Then, the door splintered open and a man in some kind of black metal armor, his face covered in black grease, grinned toothily at the monstrous shikigami, a heavy sword settled across his shoulders in the loose grip of an armored fist. "Oh hey, Shungei! Glad I didn't miss the party."

The Black Lion roared viciously and slammed into the man through the wall. While devastating the structure's remaining stability, most of the roof miraculously stayed intact barely shored up by the remaining walls. Upon the door's breaking, Wakaba had flattened herself against the wall in an attempt for safety. Unhurt by collapsing part of the roof, she saw that Nagare was partway underneath it. Quickly tying up her sleeves, she pulled off the debris that had littered on top of Nagare. After clearing off the smaller bits, she found she didn't have the strength to move what remained on Nagare's left shoulder. She tugged at his arm ineffectually. Finally, she looked up at the intruder who was fighting with Kagankokushungei.

Holding the sword horizontally out in the maw of the giant shikigami, the still grinning man was laughing like he was having a good time. "Yeah, I'd be pissed too if I were you. But you weren't trapped in a desert for practically an eternity."

A massive claw slammed against his legs, swiping the man off of his feet. Hitting the ground on his back, it knocked the wind out of him, but the sword was still firmly gripped in his hand. Two heavy paws plastered themselves on top of him, and the metal armor groaned under the weight.

The armored man complained, "Kuro-chan, don't be cruel and pretend you don't know me! Borrowed human or not, I'm still me!"

The humongous beast laid down on him and swished its tail, growling.

"Hey, hey! Don't whine to me about your human! Mine can be annoying too."

The furry black jaw cracked as it opened and a noise whooshed out in a loud yawn.

"Hey! Don't fall asleep, I'm not done talking to you, you big puss! You're friends with a miko, who—if you haven't noticed—has opened a doorway home. Don't you want to go back?"

It huffed.

"Not allowed? Who cares!"

It snorted.

"Hosogyokumon? Why do you bring him up?"

It nodded towards the storeroom, where the dust had settled enough to show a perfectly formed gateway glittering so prettily. The too-familiar, sinister smile of the long-haired, blonde hovered behind the mortified miko, who was unaware of said shikigami's cruel look since she was faced towards them.

"Oh hell no. Off, Shungei!" When the Black Lion didn't budge, all playfulness fled his features. "Get off of me this instant." He bellowed and the Black Lion remarkably did as he stood up hefting his sword as he readjusted the one-handed grip. "That yellow-tentacled bastard isn't getting in that easy."

"You aren't allowed in." Blinking owlishly at him and his strange getup, the miko had rushed forward to block the ginormous hole in the wall with her tiny body, while that two-faced snake slunk backwards towards the gate with that same cocky smirk he always seemed to have.

"Get out of my way!" He shoved her aside with a leather-gloved hand, hopping over the debris in his way. He saw just the shadow of a sleeve and a lax finger as the lanky, thin figure jumped back into the wall of light. "Fuck!"

An icy lance slipped into the part of his chest where normally he felt nothing. "Gusoku, travel mode!" His armor unfolded and refolded into his beautiful, hand-crafted bike. Holding the sword over a tanned, blank arm, he spoke to his sword. "Go back to sleep, Futsu. I'll call if I need you again." The sword seemed to disintegrate as it went into a dormant stage, forming a wicked-looking dragon tattoo on his host's left arm. He straddled the bike, grabbing the handles. "Shungei! You coming or not?

"You can't go into Gensoukai!" The miko's voice was firm and matronly, and he didn't like her attitude one bit.

"Miko, shut up. You just unleashed an old terror into my home." Swallowing down his fury before he wasted any more time arguing, he twisted in his seat. "Shungei!"

The Black Lion trotted into what was left of the storeroom and snorted in a way that seemed to communicate 'Yes, sir!'

A light sort of dawned in her mismatched eyes as they flicked at the tattoos on his arms. "...Kurikara-RyuOh?"

"Now, that's not a name I've heard in twenty years." His grin was part-grimace. "My buddy's coming with me. Shut and lock the door behind us or you'll regret it!" With a war whoop and the roar of engine and beast, the group disappeared into the light.

Wakaba gaped after them in shock. How in high heaven did the mighty Dragon King escape the Fuyuu Desert dimension? It was completely isolated!_ Not good, not good, not good!_ The mantra rang in her head as she scrambled for a messenger charm. She had to quickly relay to Chief Konoe what had happened, and after speaking a brief report she blew on it, watching as the paper bird disappear as it slipped to Meifu's dimension.

With a quick grab of the knapsack she always carried for Terazuma, she jumped into the blinding white light of the gate.

Come hell or high water, she would follow her wayward partner, pissed dragon god or not.

* * *

Though his head ached still from the fall, Hisoka was somewhere between bewildered and incredulous. "You're getting married... again?"

Teiko blushed. "Well, obviously you can't provide the proper support a husband can..."

Hisoka left it at that, glad Riko was out of the room for now. He guessed that maybe it wasn't a weird thing for hei heis to take on more than one spouse. "Congratulations."

"Thanks!" Teiko's face was vibrant with joy.

"So... why didn't you marry him before if you wanted to?"

"Well, he's King. If I had asked him or he had asked me before, I would have had to remain here on the castle grounds until my death because his status is greater." Teiko's words while warm had grown soft as if she hated that idea.

"Then, why didn't you marry him right after me?"

"Well, we went on our 'honeymoon'... because visiting the Tengu any other way would have been dicey, politically speaking." She glanced at him. "And, I wasn't sure that the King's status of second husband would trump his social status. He asked for guidance from the Holy Mother on the matter on my behalf, and it's embarrassing to even talk about it now..."

It hadn't escaped Hisoka's notice that she couldn't stop moving around the room as she touched this or that, like she had to make sure she wasn't dreaming. "You're full of energy now."

She smiled and her eyes matched it. "I'm marrying the man I love, without having the rigid rules that the status of Queen holds. Of course, things will change when the bond between you and I dissolves, but until then I can be myself and run out of this damn place whenever I feel like it."

"I wish..." he started but didn't end. He was feeling a little jealous. She was so happy.

Teiko looked at him puzzled at the contradictory feelings he was putting out. "Are you in love with someone?" She opened her mouth in an 'o' shape. "Is it Riko?"

"No!" He blushed. "She's, what, 10?"

"I was only joking." She laughed at the perturbed look on his face. "Tell me then. Who is it?"

Hisoka frowned. If Teiko found out it was Tsuzuki, she'd have a fit.

He opened his mouth, but Teiko dropped the hankerchief she had been fondling absently in her rounds around the room. "That _slaveholder_?" She practically shrieked.

"He's not a bad person!"

"_He_ owns twelve shikigami. Five of them are extremely powerful. It's dangerous!"

"He wouldn't hurt anyone that didn't deserve it. He's had them for a long time already. How can you—"

"If he is as you say he is, there are other ways that his having control of the most powerful shikigami would damn us."

"How?"

"Say someone found a weakness of his. Potentially, he would order his slaves to do whatever that person who knew his weakness wanted." Her eyes bored into him. "Does he care for you?"

Swallowing Hisoka didn't have a chance to open his mouth.

"Ha! I don't believe this. Then, following this hypothetical, if someone were to snap you up and hold you hostage, our people would have been doomed. What were you thinking venturing out by yourself with such a weak servant? And if that's not enough to convince you, if that slaveholder cared as much about you as you seem to think, he would not have allowed you to go wandering about so idly!"

Hisoka got where she was going, but he was fairly sure that he could take care of himself if something like that happened, Tsuzuki trusted him to... And even if something like that _did_ happen, he was certain that Tsuzuki wouldn't needlessly destroy Gensoukai for the promise of his safety... would he? A cold chill ran down Hisoka's spine. He wasn't really sure when he thought too hard about it.

"You understand my point." Teiko seemed to cool down at that. "Well, as long as you do."

Hisoka nodded, but before he could defend his partner further his cursemarks flared up.

Seeing the distinct shape of glow, pulsating like a lightning bug, under the thin cotton long-sleeve he was wearing, Teiko stiffened and took several steps back, her shoulders hunched up as if hackles had been raised. She hollered hoarsely, "You've been Marked!" Then her golden eyes narrowed as confusion troubled her features. "Why didn't you tell me you were Mixed before I went and bonded myself to you?"

The footsteps came running at the sound of Teiko's furious, raised voice, Hisoka tried to answer, confused himself. "What? These are—"

Sliding to a stop on the smooth stone floor, Riko took one look at Hisoka and gasped, slapping her hands to her cheeks. "Master!"

"Who the hell Marked you? I demand to know!" Teiko carried on, pacing now in disturbed agitation; when she noticed that Riko had stepped within a foot of the bed, she redirected her attention. "Get away from him, you brat!"

Riko was not to be dissuaded however, as she went 'Yay!' and obliviously babbled loudly over Teiko's extremely tense voice. "You're being summoned!"

Startled at her sudden interruption and subsequent cheering and dancing, Hisoka was overwhelmed. "Can't be. That's impo—"

"I'm going to kill that son of a bitch!" Most of the servants surrounding Teiko tried to calm her down with offerings of kipling and cooling fans. "Get away from me! This is not the time!" She hissed angrily at them, waving an arm at them to disperse them. "My bondmate was brutally attacked and pressed into service for some—some disgusting human!"

Feeling the world slowly spin, he flushed. _How does she know just by seeing them?_

Riko dodged Teiko's swats. "Teiko, why aren't you happy for him? He's being summoned for the first time ever!"

The brightening glow around Hisoka added an extra dose of surreality. _I'm not a shikigami. I'm having some weird dream after hitting my head too hard. Yeah._ He couldn't possibly be summoned. He was just a gifted human with an unusual psychic ability. He would have known if he wasn't human.

"Damn, brat! Don't you understand what those Marks are? Stay still!"

"Um, no, I don't, but I can't stand still with Master so worried! OH!" Flapping her arms, Riko ducked under another swat, and stopped by the bed stand snatching something up. "Master!" The diminutive girl leaned in dropping the leather belt that was attached to a full quiver, topped with blue feathers in his lap. "_He_ might be in trouble, so...! Oh, and the trip feels woozy the first time, but by the third it feels like a merry-go-round! Okay? No worries now!"

"You riko, he's being summoned by the fiend who Marked him!" Teiko had bared her teeth and had raised her hand again to swat, but stopped suddenly, recognizing that she had little time left now as the pulsating glow was barely a flicker now. There was nothing she could do and it ate at her conscience. She lowered her voice. "Know this, Hisoka. I swear I will hunt him down like the dog he is." Her lips curled back in a muted snarl.

"Tsuzuki didn't Mark me," Hisoka tried to say but with a lurch he was pulled, twisting and twirling like some lopsided dancer swinging head over foot over and over again; It was threatening to make him sick. Soon, their voices faded far behind him, and he was alone with that definite 'pull' guiding him to Tsuzuki.

TBC


	12. Marks and Swaps

_**Author's notes**:__ Had fun writing this as usual. Enjoy! Thank you for the reviews!  
_

**Warning:** Some violence, profane and sexual language, and nudity.

* * *

All afternoon long it's me with the same song  
You left a light on inside me, my love  
I can remember the way that it felt to be  
Holding onto you

_- Excerpt from "Like A Song" by **Lenka**_

* * *

After he told them about Kijin's words, the Tengu prophecy, and his thoughts on it, Tsuzuki was met with varying reactions, mostly disbelief. He held up his hands to try to catch his shikigami's attention before they started arguing. "Look, we don't know what's coming, so—"

"Tsuzuki, Hosogyokumon hasn't been heard from in a millenia. What makes you think that he'd invade us now? He has no allies." Suzaku stated evenly, arms crossed and feet shoulder-width apart. The others he had called on looked at him anticipating a serious response.

"He's a Snake right? He was banished from Gensoukai, his home." Tsuzuki ticked two fingers up. "The only thing I don't know is whether he was banished because he was immortal. Any ideas?" Looking at Byakko, Tsuzuki raised his brows in askance.

Byakko shrugged and scratched behind his furry ear. "I died between then and now, so I don't remember."

All the others shook their heads too, but Genbu clacked his staff down to get their attention. "I remember that fight. He was banished because of something unspeakable he had done, not because he was immortal." The old man chortled. "Back then, we let the humans deal with our messes. What they lacked in spiritual power, they adapted with their reflexes and sharp wit."

Tsuzuki held his breath as Genbu swayed a bit before coming back to attention. "He called himself the Immortal One back then, oh yes. He has lusted after power for as long as I have known him, and his greatest conceit was his near-invincible ability to regenerate, an ability which is a hundredfold greater than even your shinigami ability Tsuzuki. If he is to come back here, we can only slow him down, not stop him."

The serious look on everybody's faces was too much for Tsuzuki. "We can't give up! He was beaten before, so...!"

"By the traitor Kurikara," Kouchin said simply. "We cannot release the Dragon King to eat the smaller fish. It would be too perilous to—"

"He's not a bad guy! I met him, but I'm even more sure that he wouldn't want to see Gensoukai overrun by this guy!"

"Tsuzuki, we understand that your gentle heart wishes for peace more than anyone else, but we cannot let a war criminal of his standing back into Gensoukai. Even if he has given up the war, his followers remember it and would—"

"Enough," Taimou's clear voice cut their bickering off. "We must take a vote now. Who sides with Tsuzuki?"

Genbu raised his staff, but none of the others lifted a finger.

Harrumphing, Genbu set his staff down; well aware of Tsuzuki's hurt reaction, the wizened shikigami turned towards the only one he would allow to call on his power. "They fear the bogeyman. This lot was the same when you went to retrieve the great and terrible Serpent. Perhaps, the one we call traitor is a changed man. Perhaps not. For now, I know that fear has beaten us, and we must live in fear of our own shadow. Hah!" With a derisive snort, the hunched form walked away, the clack of his cane more pronounced than usual, his long bone-white hair trailing after him.

Gazing across the heads of each of the shikigami remaining, Tsuzuki heaved a disappointed sigh. "Well, do whatever it is you need to do to prepare. I'm going to go make some charms."

He walked away, feeling even more disheartened when the others didn't even try to call him back but instead huddled together talking frantically amongst themselves.

By nightfall, Hisoka had still not come. He had managed to hit his head again and had laid unconscious for a few hours, before waking up. Tsuzuki was fed up with everything. He was tired of sitting around waiting and pining. Fully stocked on fuda, he had little else to do as Tenkuu became abuzz with activity with various servants running about.

Feeling Hisoka grow heartsick for him with a liberal dose of worry and jealousy for someone else's happiness, Tsuzuki stepped out into complete darkness, using the faint light of the candles inside to help guide him to the courtyard.

"This should be a good place." He stood with his feet together, his spine straight and his chin tucked down as he clasped his hands together in prayer. He had thought long and hard about this and the words he would say, but knew that whatever he planned wouldn't necessarily come out when he started summoning.

"I beseech thee, of the Thirteen Gods that protect me..."

The wind kicked up around him as a ruby-orange light engulfed him. _So far so good..._

"With keen knowledge, the sharp truth strikes..."

"Let thy arrows pierce through my enemies..."

Shifting his fingers as he carefully enunciated the words that floated from somewhere within him, he felt the answering call echo.

He stepped back opening his arms wide. "I summon you before me, Hisoka!"

He stayed very still as a heavy mist rolled in, and suddenly an outline of a giant, golden glowing eel appeared before shifting into a recognizable figure, something small and extremely bright hanging from some kind of string against his partly-bared chest. Hisoka was dressed in a dark-colored hakama, the kimono-top slipped down and off his left arm in a bowman's ready stance. A dark ruddy red glow clung to his frame, and his eyes glowed green like a cat's.

"Hisoka, am I glad to see you!" Tsuzuki jogged towards him arms wide open, but he stopped when the creamy-white, lacquered _yumi_ was nocked and drawn partway, aimed towards his feet.

The bowman was above all wary and perplexed. "You are not my Master. How did you call me?"

Tsuzuki faltered, hands up horribly reminded of that first encounter with the gun. He also sensed the relief in the stranger in front of him that the one who had called him was not the terror he was expecting. "Hisoka..."

With a loud sniff, the bowstring was slackened as he pointed his bow farther at the ground, and Tsuzuki felt written off as a possible danger. The stance was fluidly shifted in such a dignified, beautiful manner, despite the single-mindedness of his aim. The bow was up again pointed into the mist like he could see through it. "Who goes there?" barked the bowman.

Tsuzuki held his breath._ It's probably—_

Without warning, Hisoka released the arrow, which whistled through the air, and re-nocked before Tsuzuki could blink. He fired again and again, while Tsuzuki stood uncertainly as Hisoka attacked. He could feel that none of his shikigami had been hurt, but what if it was someone else?

His worries were allayed when a large, muscled figure raced out of the mist, knocking the released arrows from the air and cocking a meaty arm back as he bounded closer to the bowman.

"Touda! Don't hurt him!"

As the bowman hopped back and held the yumi in one hand, Tsuzuki heard the unmistakable sound of a short blade unsheathing just as Touda rocketed the arm out.

Hisoka shoved the white bow up, and it deflected the punch in a flash of light as he spun on a toe and slashed into Touda's side. Completing the twist, Hisoka jumped gracefully away, his kimono fluttering as it caught the wind.

"Touda!"

Despite the injury, Touda was too fast, and the kick that connected this time shattered the pale-white _yumi_. As the delicate bow snapped and dispersed like glitter, Hisoka dropped the blood-darkened blade, weaving on his feet. The ugly amber glow left his small frame.

Shaking his head as if waking from a bad dream, Hisoka held his head, groaning.

Tsuzuki was already by his side setting a heavy, steadying hand on his shoulder. "Hisoka?"

Dropping his hands to suddenly cover up his bare shoulder with the kimono top, Hisoka swiveled his head to him blinking blindly in the dark. "I feel sick."

"You just had a big shock to your system." Tsuzuki wrapped his arms protectively around him in the dark, remembering how Hisoka hated it. Concern for his faithful shikigami, however, had Tsuzuki turning his head to look at Touda as he wrapped the extra-long cloth hanging from his belt around his waist.

"Touda, are you okay?"

"Yes, Master. It will heal shortly." Without another curt word, the imposing shikigami stepped back into the darkness and was lost to Tsuzuki's eyes again.

"Tsuzuki!" Various feet running towards him, a lantern held aloft with a long-staff, bouncing high above them.

Suzaku had her sword out. "Where's that damned serpent? What did he do to Hisoka?"

Slight shoulders tensed beneath his arms, but Tsuzuki didn't let go sensing a primal insecurity that the phoenix's anger was directed at him. "He went off somewhere. Hisoka's fine. He's feeling kind of sick from being summoned."

She growled and set her sword alight, running into the darkness using her flaming sword to guide her.

"He'll be alright once he sleeps it off," informed Byakko, helpfully. "The first time's the worst."

"Are you okay?" Holding the stick with the lantern carefully, Tenko peered up at the back of the form in Tsuzuki's arms.

Taking a slow, deep breath, Hisoka broke from Tsuzuki's loose hold and turned to her. "I will be."

She smiled up at him. "I'm glad you're back!"

Hisoka reciprocated with a tired smile of his own, and Tsuzuki was astonished. Hisoka barely smiled, even less when he was tired!

"I'm all for playing in the dark, but our meal's still sitting in the Great Hall!" Byakko interjected cheerfully.

So, they headed to the dining hall, where an interrupted midnight feast laid.

Hisoka settled into a chair next to Tsuzuki, while the latter piled up food for himself and then for his partner. Byakko was further down the table gorging down food much faster than was healthy.

Picking up a fork and holding it awkwardly because of its bulky handle, Hisoka looked at the heaping mound of sliced meat.

"So, where did you end up going?" Tsuzuki said in between bites of bread rolls.

"After going to Mount Koho and meeting the king, I passed through the plains of the Dominion of the Shoki with my shikigami. Then we went to Mount Kurama talked to some Elders, who asked me to invite you back to see them." Hisoka took a drink from the cup. It was orange juice. "After staying the night there, we passed through a valley and spent the night at the fairy village of Honey, and then finally arrived back at Mount Koho the following afternoon, last afternoon." Hisoka speared some kind of dark meat and took a nibble of it. It just wasn't as tasty as the melt-in-your-mouth fish that he'd had at the King's feast.

"Wow, that sounds like fun. I've never met fairies before. What are they like?"

"Peaceful with powerful magic. You would like their buttercup nectar."

"Buttercups are poisonous, aren't they?"

Hisoka shrugged. "It didn't taste like poison."

Sohryuu slammed through the closed double doors on the end of the dining hall. "How dare you summon a traitor's bastard into our midst!"

Stiffening as if he'd been hit, Hisoka looked in the dragon's eyes for the first time since almost getting skewered with a puzzled expression on his face. "'Traitor's bastard'?" he echoed. Having already been summoned like a shikigami, Hisoka couldn't deny his heritage, but the choice of words started a fire in his gut and anger flooded into his head.

Byakko's ears twitched, but he stayed seated watching what would play out.

Tsuzuki stood up and quickly intercepted the pissed off dragon clutching a sword. "He's my partner and I was worried about him. I have every right to do so since he is my shikigami, too."

Sohryuu sucked in air suddenly at the lie of omission. "He didn't respond to you! He should be put in Tenkuu's dungeon immediately, knowing _what_ he is!"

"You know I won't allow it."

"Until your contract with him is completed, Tsuzuki, I will not allow this rogue half-breed to run free." Sohryuu's even tone was heated with anger.

Before either Hisoka could snap or Tsuzuki could order the contrary from happening, a young girl's shout got their attention.

"Father, no!" Tenko threw herself into the dragon's robes and fisted her small hands into the fabric. "Hisoka didn't hurt anybody. Please stop! Please?"

Like a tree weighed down with ice, Sohryuu bent over and gently pried her hands from his clothing. "Tenko..." His voice, however, softened considerably.

"He didn't hurt anybody." The young shikigami's eyes were filled with tears. "Why do you hate him so much if he didn't hurt anybody?"

The blue-haired shikigami knelt, still holding her hands in his left hand as he brushed an errant bang of hers to the side. "His sire is a dangerous one, and I want to keep you safe."

"I am safe, Father."

He slipped his hands away from his daughter and stood up wearily, directing his words to his contemptible master. "Confiscated materials from Rikugo's chambers suggest that the banished First King's son holds the key to our future. Whether that future is destruction or salvation, is unknown."

A distressed Tenko attached herself to his robes again, so Sohryuu was forced to move back another pace, eyes on Hisoka's face. "Do what you will, bringer of the flowering winds." He turned stubbornly away and walked the three steps to the double doors with a clinging Tenko stumbling after him.

Tsuzuki had lost any appetite he had had. Kijin was right. Sohryuu had changed since Hisoka's appearance. Where once he had been proud and steadfast, he was barely restrained and finicky. He turned to Hisoka, who eyed him disdainfully.

"How long have you known that I was part god? What does he mean by 'traitor's bastard'? And why was he talking about a contract?" Hisoka's voice raised incrementally after each word, until Tsuzuki's ears rung. He could feel the fear though undercutting his anger like a flood washing out a fire.

"After I told him you were an empath and we had a bond, and he said that you had to have shikigami blood in you to manifest the ability. That was almost right after you left." Tsuzuki took a breath. "As for the traitor, there's a story about a shikigami named Hosogyokumon who got banished from the Gensoukai a long time ago. He's the one that's going to come back any day now and cause lots of problems." Tsuzuki stopped. "I won't bore you with too many details, but you might resemble that guy and it... bothers Sohryuu."

"He detests me, Tsuzuki, with every fiber of his being. I can see it in his eyes."

Tsuzuki didn't argue the point. "As for the contract... I'm not sure. When I first summoned you, you had a _yumi_. You didn't even recognize me. You seemed kind of _pleased_ to see that I wasn't someone else though..." Tsuzuki rubbed his head.

"Sounds like his contract belongs to someone else already." Byakko piped in suddenly, startling Hisoka.

Tsuzuki's hand stilled. "If the bond is directed through the 'curse' laid on Hisoka's body, then Muraki owns the contract."

Hisoka's blood chilled in his veins. "He can summon me?"

"I need you to think back. Did he ever mention anything... non-human about you?"

"No. Nothing like that other than the creepy 'doll' moniker."

"He didn't know," Tsuzuki stated.

Shocked silent, Hisoka practically resonated unease and turmoil.

"So, what curse are you guys talking about?" Byakko asked curiously.

The shinigami exchanged looks. Hisoka nodded. "They've changed from how they were before." He pulled back the sleeve of his dark blue kimono, and Byakko made a noise of indignation.

"He Marked you!" The tiger sounded like he wanted to gut someone.

"What?" Tsuzuki had never heard of the term.

Byakko snarled, "This Muraki guy, he_—_"

"Made me submit body, soul, and mind by force," came Hisoka's cool voice cutting Byakko's rant before he got carried away. "This is a true slave contract, isn't it?"

"Yes." The rage was still there, simmering in his tone of voice. "He could make you do anything. Any disobedience is impossible for you." Sky-blue eyes widening, Byakko turned abruptly on Tsuzuki. "Don't complete the contract!"

"Huh?" Tsuzuki blinked. "Why not?"

"You love him, but do you want to make him your _slave_? Even if you didn't mean to force him, with that contract completed all of his actions would be under your command!"

Rikugo's words came easily into his head as if summoned. _"Co-dependence would assuredly prevent you from being left alone... true happiness would never appear for either of you."_

This moment was what Rikugo had tried to warn him about. Tsuzuki's mouth went dry, sickened by the thought of Hisoka being such. "Of course not!"

"Good, maybe it will continue to unravel on its own. I'm glad I didn't misjudge you, Master." Byakko's muscled arms suddenly wrapped tightly around Tsuzuki, while his master patted him on the back.

"Don't call me that Byakko. You know I hate it."

Pulling back suddenly, Byakko's tail curled up. "I should go tell the others!"

Grabbing his wrist, Tsuzuki held him. "Don't Byakko. This is too personal."

"But..." The tenor voice trailed.

"I don't want that stigma," Hisoka said bluntly.

Byakko hesitated then nodded before grabbing his hand fervently. "I will keep your secret. If you need anything else, just ask! I'm going to check on Suzaku. She might need rescuing."

The calloused fingers slipped from Hisoka's, and using his excuse Byakko raced from the room, leaving the two alone.

"Well that explains why I could summon you." Tsuzuki sighed, despondently. "I met two of the three qualifications. It's a damn good thing I didn't rush anything."

Eyebrows creased, Hisoka frowned at him. "What, our relationship?"

"Yeah. I can't know what your 'submission of body' entails. So for now, kissing is out, but cuddling should still be fine. We did that before, and it didn't clear as a qualification."

A flush spread across Hisoka's face as he felt his body react. _Not now!_ "Don't talk about it like that!"

"You ready to go to sleep? I can get someone to make up another bed for you." _What if I touched you in my sleep? Oh, shit. What if I sleepwalk?  
_

Red-faced, Hisoka stood up suddenly, turned away from him. "Put me in another room_._ It solves all our headaches."

It was only then that Tsuzuki realized that he was sensing that Hisoka was turned on by his words and unspoken thoughts. That realization was picked up by Hisoka who, despite wanting very badly to run far away, decided to stand very still.

"Tenkuu, I need a room with windows situated right next to mine with a door. Send someone to furnish it now."

"Yes, master." There was a low rumbling from far off before it stopped.

Dropping a hand on his shoulder, Tsuzuki directed him forward, speaking quietly. "If you don't take care of that, you'll get blue balls for a couple of hours until your healing powers kick in." Then he took his hand away, walking past him, leading him to the area where his room was.

Feeling strung out, Hisoka was too mortified to respond because Tsuzuki had broached the topic and because he had intimate knowledge of something like that. Standing at the door to 'his' room, Hisoka stared at Tsuzuki as he bid him good night across the hall and closed the door behind him.

When he felt himself swell more down there, he practically ran into the room, slamming the door. This was not going to be a 'good night' at all as skin flushed hotly in demand, the Marks burning.

* * *

"We are at the Eve of the Immortal One's entrance, Father. I know you are unsettled, but if you remain strong we will defeat him together. I will take the armies you have called now and cast out Hosogyokumon once again!"

"Kijin, it is patience we need right now. This is our stronghold. To leave it would be folly."

"I understand. But what of Hisoka? To leave him unchained and out of our control..." Kijin stopped. "His name means 'Secret', Father, and, sooner or later, the well-hidden secret will be exposed for what he is, Gensoukai's enemy."

Sohryuu looked solemnly out the balcony, Tenko's words ringing in his ears. "Time will tell us what we need to know."

"But waiting may end up destroying us!"

The Blue Dragon gripped the quill in his hand. "Be silent and follow my instructions, Kijin! We will stay fortified _here_. Tsuzuki will have to be out of sight before we can do anything about the half-breed."

"Yes, Father." The reluctance to agree shined in the Truthsayer's eyes.

* * *

Ken blinked down at the silver metal wristband on his still-tattooed arm. "Hey! I finished my end of the deal. You're here, and now I can go back home!"

A short, red-maned shikigami in human form stood in front of him with a matching clasp on his right arm. "You can go when I release you from the contract, punk. Not before then."

"Aw, man. Who the hell did I piss off to get landed with you eighteen years ago?" The muscled man moaned into cupped hands.

"Shut the hell up, kid. I ain't gonna listen to your complaining right now." The furry-eared, red-eyed man with strange markings on his face was completely in the buff smoking nonstop, and chained by the ankle with heavy metal links four feet away to a petite, but busty, female with black eyes and human ears decked out in what was left of an old, rusty samurai apron. Sitting on the ground, she kicked her feet out, unhindered by the heavy chain, and croaked out laughter at the smoker's reaction.

"Who the hell are they anyway?" Ken asked the Dragon King's back.

"The human I have no idea, but the other was my right-hand commander and morale booster during the war, Kagan Koku Shungei."

"The name's Terazuma Hajime. Who the hell are you?"

"What an attitude coming from a naked guy." Ken scratched his chin. "If he's human, what's with his ears and eyes?"

"Bad match or forced contract. Those are Shungei's eyes, ears, and tribal markings. He's a shinigami. Normally, a human would die from such a terrible match."

"I see," Ken intoned solemnly rubbing his chin. "So, shinigami exist..."

"Kid, I asked you a damn question!" The naked man shouted at him, but didn't budge from his perch on the boulder.

The youthful female laughed again and kicked her feet like a toddler.

"And stop laughing, you damn beast!"

Ignoring the angry guy, Ken glanced back at the bright white portal. "Why hasn't it closed yet?"

"Time moves faster on this side. So what feels like a few seconds on Earth feels much longer over here." The fierce scarred face of the somewhat grown, teenaged Kurikara stared menacingly at Terazuma before looking at his comrade on the ground. "Shungei, guard the gate. Ken and I are heading after Hosogyokumon."

She made a 'hah!' noise and saluted.

Saddling the motorcycle, Kurikara revved the engine. "Get on now or get dragged by our link. Your call."

Quickly, the much larger man sat behind him. "This baby wasn't built for two bodies—!" Ken cursed, arms grabbing around Kurikara's shoulders as the motorcycle did a wheelie, unfurled and folded into a gigantic, metal dragon right underneath his legs. Then it whipped its head down and charged straight off the cliff.

"Holy shit! This is freaking AWEEEESOME!" The scream echoed back to them as they disappeared off the cliff's edge, swooping up at a much greater distance away, the wings flapping and skimming through the clouds.

Terazuma chuckled. It was the only amusement he'd had since waking up here naked.

He looked at 'Shungei' as she doodled in the packed dirt next to her. "Why are we chained up like this, while they get those manacles?"

Pointing at the human ears on the side of her head, she fluttered black eyes behind black bangs and grinned somewhat crooked, very human teeth at him. It was freakish. The damn Summons looked similar to how he'd envision his daughter, except those were _his_ ears, _his_ eyes, and _his_ teeth!

"Hajime!"

He turned at once at the sound of her voice. "Kannuki, what the hell are you doing here?" The portal winked off behind her and the shikigami beside him sat up straight and expectantly.

Wakaba gasped dropping the knapsack beside him, throwing open her arms. "Kuro-chan!"

Jumping up and barreling into her, Shungei smiled holding her up and hopping up and down, while Wakaba held on tightly very unsure until she was set back down in one piece. "I didn't expect to see you like this!"

With a bow, Shungei and made a humming noise that went up and down a few times as if to say 'hello, dear!'. Her thick black braids were among un-braided strands of flat hair, which swung about as she straightened.

"If you were so friendly, why did you always transform when Hajime touched girls?"

The Black Lion frowned, growling a little and thumped her foot that had a heavy manacle above it on the ground.

"Oh! Maybe you were jealous?"

Raising a finger and shaking it, Shungei latched onto Terazuma and proceeded to sound very pissed off. Terazuma did his best to smoke and ignore the behavior as if it was worse to react than not to.

It left Wakaba looking very confused. "Why won't she tell me?"

"Seems she can't."

Standing upright, Shungei nodded and opened her mouth. The nub of tongue waggled side to side just behind her teeth.

Wakaba gasped holding her mouth. "What...?"

Closing her mouth with a snap, the shikigami wrapped strong arms around the frightened miko and nuzzled her face as tears sprouted in Wakaba's orange eyes.

"I heard from the cheeky brat who was inside that guy named Ken that she was a 'morale booster' in some war here. I'm guessing her side lost, and they cut her tongue out." He took a deeper whiff of cigarette. "No talking, no more morale booster. Fucking harsh since I'm guessing she's been passed between shinigami since then. I had strict instructions to never set foot here. As long as I did that..." He made the mistake of looking up and his face met with the soft curves of a female chest. Flailing, he dropped his cigarette as he was hugged and swung side to side.

"Kuro-chan, put him down!"

With a cheerful hum, she did as commanded.

Relieved to finally start breathing again, he coughed, grounding out. "Can I get some damn clothes on now?"

TBC.


	13. Immortality and Resipiscence

_**Author's notes**:__ Thank you for the spirited reviews! This was a most difficult chapter for me, mostly because of the latter half the of the story, not the italicized bit. That part was relatively easy. Hah...  
_

**Warning: **Violence, familial abuse, memory!fail, language, strangulation, sex, nudity, molestation... I think I covered them all? Oh, wait. There's a few more but that would spoil the story. Heh heh. ;;

* * *

I can't forget you when you're gone  
You're like a song that goes around in my head  
And how I regret, it's been so long  
Oh what went wrong? Could it be something I said?

Time, make it go faster or just rewind  
To back when I'm wrapped in your arms

_- Excerpt from "Like A Song" by **Lenka**_

* * *

Only half-aware, Nagare listed side to side; in between bouts of darkness when the pain overcame his senses, the sky slowly lightened around him while the ground heaved like a small boat. He was thirsty with nothing but a coppery tang to parch his tongue. A powerful arm was around his midsection carrying him as if he were nothing more than a limp nuisance. He bit down a moan even though it caused excruciating pain in his jaw, a jaw that had to be broken.

Every time he made a noise the monster carrying him punched him in the face. Where possible, he wanted to avoid that. Things were already too disorienting. Filthy and bleeding, he remembered being dragged for a time and of foul cursing when the very thick, heavy metal band clamped around his wrist wouldn't give. The skin remained shredded and swollen near that band aching.

Faintly he remembered his grandiose plans to escape his family's miserable village after poisoning his brother's wine. At the moment with momentary clarity of thought, Nagare wondered why he was still alive.

"You misbegotten spawn, the one thing you inherited from me is completely wasted!" The light, sweet voice snarled with fresh anger. "Too human by half, you have done nothing but block my path!"

Slivers drifted up from within. Nagare had longed for death, but it was and always would be out of grasp. He had attempted suicide enough times to know that. _Kasane..._ A long-ago memory of love and loss surfaced from his fragmented mind.

"If that damnable human hadn't double-crossed me, I would have been rid of you and retaken all that is rightfully mine by now!"

A dangerous man in white came to mind, one with mismatched eyes peering condescendingly through glasses. He was a reputable doctor with an obfuscated criminal record and vile salacious tastes. His name was still lost but rage swarmed into him. _He stole...!_

"That that foul Enma has my son in his clutches is merely a temporary state. Once Gensoukai falls to me, that mistake will be corrected, and I will finally be rid of you!" The voice crowed in glee.

Nagare flopped loosely as another jarring step bounced him on a bony shoulder-blade as another loss, more recent, and a terrible decision filtered into his head.

_Hisoka._ Beautiful pale features on such a frail body, looking nothing like his mother. That memory of a bright green-eyed stare was contradictorily too old and too young, able to pick up on nuances of character and half-truths faster than an old patriarch, but so un-lived that fear kept his head bowed in obedience. Fondly, he remembered how, occasionally, he would observe Hisoka as he was tutored through his basic education and formal training, but always left before each session was over. Nagare had sorely wanted to free him from the fate that awaited him. His wretched heart constricted as the painful memory of Hisoka's disappearance, his abduction, surfaced. _My son..._

"Arrogant vermin!" Suddenly Nagare toppled to the ground. The burst of white-hot pain when his head hit the hard-packed dirt kept him on the ground. As Nagare struggled to work through it to regain his thinking, hard fingers threaded through his hair and yanked his head up. He stared into features that were dazzling similar to Hisoka's and his own. "He is my son, not yours! MINE!"

Nagare's face was made of stone, thoughts trailing over the newly fitted memory of Hisoka's coworkers, and how he came to be placed in this demon's hands at those coworkers' failure. "How can you still claim that when it was not you who raised him."

He was struck in the face again, and he felt a tooth loosen and his lip re-split and bleed. The fingers in his scalp tightened until he thought his hair would be pulled out in one yank. "We will see whose temperament he truly harbors. For now, you will not speak." The chained wrist came up and thrust forward beneath Nagare's chin. Instantly, there was a cracking noise as his trachea crushed under the brunt force of knuckles, and he was struggling to breath.

Laughing, Hosogyokumon dragged the slowly suffocating Nagare across the rocky terrain. "Your inability to die may not be such a waste, if I can use it to entertain me like this."

* * *

Because of the rumbling of Tenkuu, Hisoka woke up with drool plastered to his face. Wiping at the wetness on his cheek, he noticed that the sticky aftermath of last night had crusted and he felt gross. Not that he exactly felt gross about what he'd done... In fact, this morning his body apparently wanted more.

His skin flushed. He wasn't really surprised, not after last night when the thing just wouldn't go down. He wondered if that was normal or not for shinigami. It wasn't something that he had heard before. His face heated as he imagined how that conversation with Tsuzuki would go. _"Oh, multiple orgasms? Don't worry! It comes part and parcel with being a shinigami. Why else do you think there's so many male shinigami?"_ The teasing, imaginary voice lingered near his ear.

"Intruder alert!"

Snapping to attention, Hisoka looked up towards the ceiling as Tenkuu's voice continued, "A rogue hei hei has entered the premises. Proceed with deadly caution."

Hisoka jerked up out of bed, and quickly scrubbed his hand against the long piece of cloth that served as his underwear. Hurriedly double-wrapping the fundoshi, he grabbed the under-kimono off the floor and pulled it on and then the wrinkled tabi. Just as he slipped on the beautifully patterned blue kimono and tied up the hakama around it, Tsuzuki knocked on his door. "Hisoka?"

"Come in." He finished straightening the cumbersome outfit and willed his face to remain indifferent.

The door opened then slid closed. "Normally, hei heis don't venture far from Mount Koho." Tsuzuki sniffed a couple times and didn't make comment, but of course Hisoka could tell what he thought. Looking away, Hisoka stood there awkwardly. It was hard to pretend that nothing was different when Tsuzuki's emotions and thoughts flickered and responded to his own.

"They don't?" Hisoka didn't turn towards him.

"No, they isolate themselves from almost all the nations of Gensoukai. If there's one here, that means trouble." _'Have they been attacked? No, Sohryuu's spies and messengers would have noticed something.'_

Then, it clicked. _"I swear I will hunt him down like the dog he is."_ Hisoka ran to the door almost slipping on the polished stone floor in his tabi. "That's Teiko!"

"Wait, Hisoka! Who's Teiko?" Tsuzuki called out in confusion.

"I'll tell you later!" Hisoka reached for the door, yanking it open. "I've got to stop her before she—"

A yowling white ball of furry fury lunged past him through the open door, transforming into the familiar human form. Using her momentum, she crashed into and pinned a startled Tsuzuki to the ground. She immediately unsheathed a dagger pointing it at Tsuzuki's groin.

Tsuzuki went stock-still with a most bewildered expression as he stared up at the woman who felt connected to Hisoka. "Is that you, Riko?" He made a choking noise.

"Do not speak to me, disgusting human or I will dig harder."

_'No, not Riko. Teiko...?'_ Hisoka heard him work out, frozen to the spot by indecision, but his voice managed to blow out from his chest. "Teiko! Get off of him!"

Staying silent, Tsuzuki slipped his fingers to his pocket, aiming for a fuda.

Teiko's shoulders shook with rage. "Hands where I can see them!" She barked at him, poking the dagger right where a sharp object should never, ever be, and Tsuzuki made another choked noise.

Feet unsticking from the ground, Hisoka yelped, "NO! He isn't the one—"

"He summoned you. This slaveholder," she dug the blade a little deeper and Tsuzuki made an involuntary noise and arched his back, "thinks you are little more than a toy to him."

A soft caress over their shared connection vibrated with desire, and Hisoka was flummoxed staring at Tsuzuki.

He was a masochist. _Tsuzuki..._

"You shouldn't have trusted him! Humans are all liars! They make promises they don't keep!"

Understanding a bit more now, Tsuzuki's eyes never strayed from Teiko's face. _'Who hurt you?'_

"Don't you dare pretend to sympathize, you disgusting pervert, don't you dare!" Teiko snarled in Tsuzuki's face, and Hisoka felt him give up under the hot, condemning gaze. "Filth like you...!"

"I'm sorry." The upturned face looked compassionately. "If that will help you, go right ahead and stab me."

Seeing her rage about to break loose, Hisoka lurched forward, wrapping an arm around her right to put it in an arm bar. His free hand went for her wrist, and he yanked her down. The knife clattered to the ground. "Don't hurt him!"

She spun around grabbing him with her other arm and he squeezed the pressure point he had in his arm lock, pulling her to the floor. She bucked and rolled on top of him as she sparred, while Tsuzuki just laid there feeling dead inside. If Hisoka weren't busy, trying to keep Teiko off of him...

He grabbed her hair and yanked, immediately straddling her and putting her neck into a lock. "Yield!"

"NO!" She was a wild thing, but he held on tightly.

Her chin smashed against the floor as he managed to follow the frenzied flow of her body's movements and kept her in place like his judo instructor had taught him. "He isn't the one!"

"'He isn't the one'?" She echoed angrily. "I have heard this excuse from my own mother, bondmate! He has defiled you, fed you pretty lies, and still you defend him!" Stubborn pride was clear, in spite of her predicament, unwavering. "He summoned you and used you like a sex slave! Your irrational defense of him only proves my point!" She forced a hand up through the hold he had on her as she bucked again and twisted his arm, until he was flat on the floor kicking from the pain she had caused. "I will protect you."

She stood up, grabbing the knife. The beads of her hair clacking ominously. "Sight the Unseen!"

As Hisoka scrambled to stand, her power flowed around him.

"Have you perhaps blocked it from your memory, human? The moment that you raped the one you loved?" Her voice was barely raised. "I can see it... Shall I unlock it for you?"

Tsuzuki stilled as gut-wrenching fear came to him. He didn't remember that fight. He remembered Hisoka's scared eyes. Doubt was laid squarely in his mind.

"Teiko, NO! Don't—!"

She sidestepped Hisoka's wild attack and pushed his hip bone, sending his momentum careening to the ground. "You made him forget something. Didn't you, bondmate?" Staring down at Tsuzuki, she was calmer now. "Didn't you?"

"N..No!" Hisoka stuttered, trying to shut out what he had done to keep Tsuzuki from self-destructing, trying to keep Tsuzuki from seeing it. He felt Tsuzuki reach for him, reach to pry him from what he was hiding. "He didn't do anything!"

"Tsk." She sniffed. "There's no point in lying."

"Hisoka...? What... did I do?"

At the words Tsuzuki had asked in the infirmary, Hisoka squeezed his eyes shut at Tsuzuki's broken voice, refusing to let go of the truth. "You bit me. That's all."

Teiko leaned forward holding Tsuzuki's gaze. "Let's see what's lurking there..."

"Stop!" Hisoka rushed them, but felt the darkness surge forward as Tsuzuki was lost once again in it.

Backpedaling at the Sight of a demon power steadily brightening Tsuzuki's purple eyes to electric violet, Teiko screamed.

Hisoka swallowed convulsively, but his mouth had gone dry. "That's..." How could things have gone so wrong, so fast? He jumped when Tsuzuki was suddenly standing holding Teiko up by her throat.

The demonic gravelly voice spoke brusquely. "_You're a nosy one_._ Was I unexpected, little hei hei_?"

Terrified, Teiko flailed and kicked and choked. Tsuzuki of the Twelve, a demon? She was no holy being that could harm such a monster! How could the Twelve agree to serve such a vile creature!

Tsuzuki pulsed with innate power, while sandaled feet decorated with beads kicked weakly.

_I have to stop him. This is my fault. I should have warned him about Teiko. I should have stopped her faster. I should have..._ Wincing at himself, he forced out the should-haves from his thoughts and stood up to face the Tsuzuki's inner demon. "Tsuzuki. Let her go."

The demon didn't even look his way, so completely fixated on Teiko.

The less air she breathed the more she panicked. She suddenly transformed gaining only a few extra puffs of fresh air as she wriggled and squirmed about in a smaller form.

The hand would not let go! And then, she had some relief as the tight hand loosened minutely. She sucked down air through her short muzzle as she was turned to face the glowing monster.

The curious look directed at her made her insides quail. "_Where'd your bravado go_?_ Aren't you going to protect my Hisoka from me_?"

Now she knew what a mouse felt like when cornered by a cat who hadn't decided how to play with the mouse before biting it in half.

"Tsuzuki! Stop it right now."

"_You think I'll do what you say_,_ Hisoka_? _Last time was a fluke_. _He won't come out now_, _which is fine by me_." The white of Tsuzuki's eyes were completely black and merciless as they turned to him, but Hisoka met his eyes, unable to help the involuntary flinch. The demon smiled when Hisoka continued to meet his gaze.

"If you let her go, I won't fight this time."

The head flung back and released a cruel, hungry laugh. The hand negligently dropped Teiko like a sack of bricks and with a noise of terror Teiko ran hard and fast, right out the still-open door. "_A deal you've given me that I can't resist_. _You know me so well_."

Hisoa swallowed again, understanding too well that impulse to run. Tsuzuki would have hurt her if she stayed.

Energy sparked over Tsuzuki as he turned to rest all of his attention on the child before him. "_Do you remember what I wanted to taste_?"

Heat filled his cheeks, and still Hisoka stared him down. "No."

One moment the predator was before him and the next Hisoka found himself in a bruising hold, hot breath against his throat. "_Play coy_. _I like that_. _Very soon_, _I will get a taste of you_, _and then you won't be able to escape my attention_."

Feather soft fingers drifted down the front of his kimono.

"No. You're not allowed."

The hand stilled their descent. The demon snorted a chuckle. "_What that fool thinks is irrelevant_. _He is not here_, _is he_?" Tsuzuki's nose traced up his jaw and lips not long after. "_He wouldn't touch you_,_ not even if you begged him_."

Hisoka shuddered, flushing. The Marks were reacting to the attention, and the yearning burn of an unfamiliar magic traced along the paths of the Marks. He felt them squirm, relishing the soft touch of skin against his face. Hisoka jerked himself back, but the hold held him tight in long arms, and he was crushed up against the toned body. An angry fire licked into Hisoka's eyes. "So, you're going to rape me instead?"

"_My secret_... _I only want a taste_, _just one taste_." Then, the lips pressed softly against his, sucking without tongue. The eagerness to touch, the strong desire to have sex... A taste would lead on to more; that was for certain.

Reaching into this suppressed personality, Hisoka felt Tsuzuki's consciousness far in the back of his mind. He dove into the bizarre mindscape, searching him out. It was foggy, and he passed row after row of short rose bushes.

He crunched down the middle pathway, the one made of deep-burgundy, opaque glass, while still aware of the way the kissing had become hungrier, more forceful, and that a hand had threaded through his hair to keep him from pulling away.

Near where the long path ended, he stepped around the large black bush of thorns, the one he remembered sprouting.

He heard quiet crying and sniffling. Hisoka found Tsuzuki crouched near the open iron-wrought gate, rocking. What Tsuzuki had learned from the broken mental block... had him in a state of shock ashamed of his desires and unable to stop himself.

"Tsuzuki."

At his name, the head lifted as if it was a heavy burden. The gaze was fearful and his hands dug into his thighs, and then he wouldn't look at him at all.

"It's okay, Tsuzuki. My hand. Take my hand."

Ducking his head down, Tsuzuki shook it, and Hisoka dropped his hand. "You'll make me forget again. I bit you and drank your..." _delicious, pretty red_ "blood that poured out and wanted to..." _powerfully thrust again and again _"to force myself on you. Hurt you." He shuddered in disgust, and looked up. In his fear, the pupils had disappeared in the overflowing purple iris as he sensed what his demon side was doing. "You need to get away. Fight him. Hurt him. Do something!"

Hisoka couldn't say anything. Tsuzuki stared at him, expectantly as if he could magically turn things to normal by asking.

Aware that Tsuzuki was waiting for him to respond, Hisoka curled fingers around the permanent scar on his arm. "I should have told you about it, but I was afraid I was going to lose you, like I almost did in Kyoto. I... wanted to protect you."

"I'm a monster, Hisoka." His anger was scalding hot but impotent and Hisoka looked unchanged at the confession, unmoved. "I'm a monster!" Tsuzuki repeated himself as if Hisoka couldn't hear him, wouldn't hear him. The darkness of this place echoing it back like some mammoth cave. "Damnit! I promised to protect you! But I can't protect anyone. Not Ruka... not even you. I can't protect anyone, only hurt them." His hands acted possessed as they pulled at his own hair and clothing as he cursed again, frustration and fear and disgust intermingling to paralyze him with inaction. He was frozen, trembling, his stomach like a tight ball.

Glimpsing outward for just a moment, Hisoka saw himself naked on the floor, the leftover warmth of his clothing cooling against his hot, flushed skin. The warm, calloused hands traveled over the awakened Marks, over and over and over again. His body showed all signs of enjoying the attention.

_How can you let him touch you?_, a child's petulant voice shouted across the field of thorny bushes. _Why do you let him?_

"Tsuzuki. I'm not scared. Weren't you supposed to trust me?"

Silently, Tsuzuki slunk down. Hisoka trusted him too much, trusted that any part of him, monster or otherwise, wouldn't harm him as promised. A deep sadness pressed his legs to the glass-littered ground. His vulnerable, needy expression was filled with turmoil. "I'm... molesting you. It's no different from him."

Hisoka looked outward for just a moment. Every inch of his skin was being traced over and licked. Contrary to the long-ago allusion to milk, the demon was more entranced by the tracks of markings than by his privates. The look was certainly possessive as smooth fingers ran over the patterning in his skin like a child drawing with a stick in the sand.

"It's different from _him_..." Hisoka tried to assure Tsuzuki and swallowed down his desire as it threatened to scramble his thoughts. He grew flushed. "Even so... I don't want to be touched like this. It's empty." Hisoka forced everything else out of his mind and looked at Tsuzuki sternly. "Don't let this happen when I love you... I couldn't... I think I might end up hating you. So, please... take my hand, so I can help you."

The broken look on Tsuzuki's face flickered with pained determination. "I'm sorry, Hisoka. I'm sorry for hurting you, for not being able to control myself." He reached out tentatively, his feelings all but begging for forgiveness.

"You haven't done anything to hurt me yet, so there's nothing to forgive. I'm the one who should be sorry. Teiko is my responsibility. If she hadn't attacked you..." Hisoka grasped the hand tightly.

"I love you, so much." Tsuzuki started to cry then, his other hand came forward to hold onto both of theirs tightly.

And then Hisoka yanked him forward, pulling him to the surface as the darkness howled in rage being snatched away so close to tasting him. Hisoka pushed the darkness into a cage and then he was thrown back into his own body.

Suddenly slammed into a desperately hot body, Hisoka came gasping into Tsuzuki's mouth, twisting, and arching off the thin padding his wrinkled clothes provided.

Tsuzuki was wide-eyed as his soft lips slipped off of his flaccid shaft, a hand coming up to wipe his lips as he swallowed.

Flushing, Hisoka couldn't read him at all, but he counted it as a blessing. He flushed and rolled onto his side. The easy line of mental communication between them was quiet. The Marks had gone silent, still as stone, no longer wriggling impatiently. He panted in embarrassment as the weight of Tsuzuki's actions settled and he grew cold.

A blanket from his bed was draped over him.

"I'm sorry." Tsuzuki offered meekly._ 'I was too late.'_

Hisoka's curled fingers clung to the fringes of the blanket covering him to his chin. At least his groin seemed to have enough of getting up. He ignored the apology, more worried about another more urgent issue. "Let's see if I'm compelled to do what you say."

"Stand up and hug me."

Before Hisoka had time to think, the blanket was at his feet as he hugged Tsuzuki tightly, his face pressed into his side. He inhaled deeply, smelling soap and Tsuzuki, to calm the fluttering anxiety, trying not to remember that brief instant when his lips were— He shut down those thoughts. "That answers that question..."

"You can do whatever you want now. I'm sorry." Tsuzuki looked fairly ill. "If I had trusted you—"

Hisoka pulled away, stepping back, and then swung his hand through the air cutting off Tsuzuki's words. "Stop apologizing! This is my fault, not yours. I should have told you. It was cowardly thing to just leave that mess alone until something made me clean it up."

Tsuzuki took a deep, settling breath. Then he looked towards the ceiling. "Tenkuu. The intruder's name is Teiko and is Hisoka's shikigami. Make sure the others know not to harm her."

"Yes, master." The deep voice intoned. "Should I tell the servants to expect your lover at the baths?"

Suddenly reminded that he was inside of a magically aware building, Hisoka snatched the blanket up and put it over his shoulders like a mantle, holding it closed in the front.

"Use his name, Tenkuu, and no, I'll go with him. We'll manage." Tsuzuki looked down at himself. From Hisoka's perspective, nothing looked out of place. "Uh... Tenkuu, make sure that they have some clean clothes for us, okay?"

"Yes, master."

Tsuzuki offered up a tremulous smile. "Do you need help getting dressed, or should I carry you like that?"

"No, I don't, and please don't." A reddened face peeked out of the blanket. "Turn around."

Tsuzuki gave him a puzzled expression, but stood up. "Roger." Walking to the door and shutting it, he faced it not pointing out that he'd already seen him naked, had vicariously touched his soft skin through the demon among other things. Remembering what he had done just minutes before, Tsuzuki blushed at the salty bitter taste Hisoka had left in his mouth, and his body responded with another erection. Immediately, he sighed and thought up of half a dozen un-erotic images, and his groin sagged in a hurry. He thanked years of practice for that, though his gut was tangled up with pent-up frustration.

"I'm finished." The smooth voice said next to him.

Turning as his hand reached for the door to open it, Tsuzuki grinned down at Hisoka. "Let's go take a nice warm bath, shall we?"

"I guess. Why are we were sharing a bath?" Hisoka sniped back heading down the hallway.

"Well, they're big enough... but I'll understand if you don't want to with a pervert like me."

A hand slipped into Tsuzuki's and squeezed. "Idiot. I don't care about that."

They held hands like that as they left the main building and crossed the courtyard to the bathing house.

Entering the empty bathing establishment, Hisoka broke away first, heading to a closed-off washing niche.

Tsuzki let him go and stripped off his clothes. He scrubbed himself down and rinsed off, not bothering to put on the robe after he was done like usual. He paused. _Maybe I should... for Hisoka's sake._ After a moment's hesitation he slipped it on. "I'll be in the bath, Hisoka."

"Okay."

Going into the next room, Tsuzuki took the steps leading down into the bath and sat down on the ledge, water soaking into the bathing robe. He closed his eyes and relaxed.

The sound of water splashing by the steps got Tsuzuki's attention, but he stayed where he was, until Hisoka had settled into the water.

"So, explain to me why you thought it was a good idea to summon me?"

"You know Hosogyokumon, the traitor they talked about last night?"

A robed Hisoka nodded.

"Kouchin sang an old tale to me, while I was waiting for you to come back. Hosogyokumon cursed Sohryuu twice and was banished after losing against Kurikara. Then a few days later, Kijin warned me that Hosogyokumon would come some time before dawn today. When the others didn't believe me... I was worried about you. I didn't want to leave you out there with someone as nasty as that guy out there."

"Obviously there's nothing I can do about that." Hisoka sighed and leaned his head back, staring up at the ceiling.

"So... you eloped with a hei hei, did you?"

"She wouldn't make a contract with me any other way, and when they said it wasn't a viable marriage elsewhere..."

"So, I wasn't your first kiss?"

"No, but she didn't kiss me on the mouth!" Hisoka lifted a hand and pointed at the top of it. "She kissed here!"

Tsuzuki nodded sagely. "Tell me where else the hei hei kissed."

At Tsuzuki's sudden seriousness, Hisoka's cheeks flushed hotly. "She only kissed me once on the back of my hand!"

The love of his life bowled over with laughter, almost planting his face in the bath water. "Your face!"

Tsuzuki cracked up again as Hisoka scowled disapprovingly.

"Sorry, sorry. Teasing aside, it's amazing that you were able to bond with a hei hei." He paused and smiled. "You must have really impressed her... I probably really scared her." He frowned softly, looking concerned for the well-being of Hisoka's new shikigami.

"Tsuzuki. Don't start that now. The point of a bath is to relax and settle your mind for the rigors of the day."

The water splashed some as Tsuzuki moved to sit right next to him. "I relax best next to you."

"Oh, you do?"

"Mm." His emotions uncertain and hopeful, Tsuzuki's down-turned, unreadable face faced Hisoka. "Am I allowed to touch you even after what I've done...?"

Hisoka blinked at the words, wishing their link would talk to him. He doubted Tsuzuki meant his question about touching was sexual. "If you want."

"You'd forgive me for what I've done?" Tsuzuki's gaze was heavy with guilt and burdened with responsibility.

"I can't say I like this position we're in, but I can forgive you for that." In embarrassment, Hisoka mumbled, "you weren't in control of yourself."

"Mm." Tsuzuki solemnly agreed, still feeling guilty and unworthy of the forgiveness Hisoka was offering.

Water splashed onto the edge of the bath as Tsuzuki lifted an arm and placed it behind Hisoka. Tsuzuki inched closer until there was no space between their legs or shoulders.

They sat in silence like that, and Hisoka grew drowsy from the heat, a tender smile on his face.

A hand came around his shoulders and tugged him closer like that, and Hisoka fell into a deeper sleep.

* * *

_The fever robbed him of his nightly escapades. No longer could he feel the breeze or the rain. Sitting up was too exhausting. Even reading the few books set near him was too much._

_ It was dark now with the new moon. He hated the dark in this chilly storeroom. At times his fever dreams would manifest into horrible things...  
_

_"Hisoka?" Somebody leaned over him.  
_

_"I'm sick. You'll catch it if you're near me, and if you do you'll die, Asato. Other kids have died in the village."_

_A cool hand brushed the warm rag off of his forehead, and Hisoka heard it get dunked into the shallow wooden bucket nearby, wringing it out. "It takes more than a plague to kill me."_

_The soft voice was definitely Asato's but it was different. Hisoka waited until the rag was replaced. "Is your sister okay?"_

_"Ruka's... She's dead." The voice sounded pained, almost withdrawn.  
_

_Hisoka sucked down a raspy breath at the sudden admission. "I'm sorry for your loss."_

_"Mm."  
_

_He felt awful now that he realized that Asato had stopped showing up at the edge of the marshes because something bad had happened to his kind sister. _

_There wasn't even a sliver of light, so he strained to hear Asato breathe. He had imagined many untruths, things that couldn't possibly be real when the fever got too bad before.  
_

_"Hisoka, why are you down here?" The voice was polite, more polite than Hisoka was used to hearing from the boy, but there seemed to be a catch, a hitch to it.  
_

_"I won't be for much longer. The doctor says I'll be moved to a hospital tomorrow. If I've lived this long, maybe I'll get better." Hisoka wheezed forgetting how easy it was lose his breath. "Oh, and my father... He's... My father promised he'd visit me." He tripped over the words, still puzzled at that. Maybe it took being this sick, this close to death for his father to visit him. He still didn't want to believe it. If his father acknowledged him that much...  
_

_"If you're sick, why do they keep you here without someone to take care of you?" Asato persisted in the darkness, not willing to be sidetracked.  
_

_Shame flowed into his feverish mind. He didn't want to answer.  
_

_"Hisoka..."  
_

_"I ordered the servants away, and this is my room, so of course I'd sleep here."_

_"A storeroom is a place for the firstborn son of a family with good lineage?" There was anger swimming in the depths of that calm tone, anger Hisoka had lost over the warm period of every year he had lived there since he was five. It was just how things were.  
_

_"I only remember telling you about my parents..." Had he lowered his guard enough to mention his family's background? Things were too blurry with the constant fever.  
_

_He heard Asato stand and walk_—_his gait was slow as if he had started a growth spurt_—_to where the extra pallet for the servant was. He dragged it next to Hisoka and laid down. "I won't let you be alone when you're afraid of the dark."_

_The fever must have spiked.__ This couldn't be real. How else would Asato know, when not even the new, compassionate maid could tell, how frightened he was of the pressing blackness around him? Hisoka would have never admitted it. "How can you tell?"  
_

_"I can see in the dark. Your expression told me. Now, get some sleep. I'll make sure nothing bothers you."_

_Hisoka grunted and closed his eyes...  
_

TBC.


	14. Intrusions and Bleach

_**Author's notes**:__ Thank you for all your reviews! This was another difficult chapter... Well, not most of it. Just the Tsusoka bit. I thought one of my friends would kill me if Tsuzuki and Hisoka managed to talk themselves out of it. Let's see... um, oh yeah. I guess there could be some OOC-ness with Kurikara since he hasn't been trapped in Fuyuu Desert all this time. It's also a very good reason why Sohryuu looks so much older than him. Also, if you don't know why Kurikara calls Sohryuu, "Ryujin", look it up. They are incarnations of gods, supposedly. _

_I have to really give credit to my wife on Kurikara's characterization. Whenever I was stuck with him, she'd look at it and go "He'd say this instead of that". Thanks **darkqryslynn**! Thank you** Luna-sempai** for helping me with Suzaku! Thanks to **EggDropSoup** for beta-ing!  
_

**Warning: **NSFW. I wouldn't say it was a super-graphic scene, but if you're not used to man-feeling-up-on-man action then it might be too much for you. I can just hear the chorus of 'Finally!'. Yes, yes I understand. Plot has a way of getting in the way. -kicks it-

* * *

Where it was dark now there's light  
Where there was pain now there's joy  
Where there was weakness, I found my strength  
All in the eyes of a boy  
-_Excerpt from "A New Day Has Come" by **Celine Dion**_

* * *

Blinking awake at the smell of delicious food, Wakaba sat up and stretched her arms with a yawn. Shungei had a very large fish turning on a spit over the fire. She turned so Wakaba could see a smile greeting her and gestured at the food before making a beak out of her fingers and thumb and holding it towards her mouth in the classic 'We'll eat' sign.

"Thanks, Kuro-chan!" She reached into the knapsack, pulled out a hairbrush, and began to brush her tangled hair. "Hajime's a heavy sleeper, isn't he?"

Shungei nodded emphatically, glancing over at the pale human snoring lightly in the morning's light.

They sat silently as Shungei continued to turn the spit, and Wakaba braided her long thick hair. When the miko finished, she put her hairbrush away and stood up running a hand over her crinkled miko outfit. "How did you catch that if you're chained to Hajime?"

The Black Lioness grinned and winked with a forefinger to her lips as if to say "It's a secret!"

Moving to sit by the shikigami, Wakaba raised her eyebrows at the sight of Terazuma's wet clothes and damp hair. "He really is a heavy sleeper, isn't he?"

Shungei laughed and nodded.

"It smells wonderful," the miko sighed, then looked at Shungei once more her voice tremulous. "Kuro-chan, what should we do? I unleashed such a terrible foe into Gensoukai."

The shikigami took the fish off the spit and set it onto a large palm frond. She turned and looked at her host's partner with such a serious, sad expression that it brought Wakaba to tears.

"I'm sorry, Kuro-chan. I thought by returning a rogue shikigami that... and now Kurikara RyuOh's back in Gensoukai!"

Shungei shook her head furiously, hair flying, and held her hands up as if to wipe the tears, but pulled them back; balling one into a fist, she thumped her chest, mouthing 'Mine.'

Wiping at her tears, Wakaba laughed, one short burst, scoffing. "I'm the one who _opened_ the gate. The responsibility's all mine!"

The shikigami dropped her hands and her shoulders slumped forward, dejected. Huffing, she picked the skin off the fish with her fingers. Then Shungei picked a huge chunk of white meat from the thin bones and offered it to Wakaba, who graciously took it and ate it. They ate listening to the fire crackle and pop while Wakaba calmed down.

"Were you really on Kurikara's side?"

While Shungei licked her fingers, she nodded warily.

"...Why, Kuro-chan? I thought he wanted to destroy Gensoukai?" The miko's mismatched eyes stared fiercely at the her.

Continuing to pull the meat off the fish and collecting it in a pile, Shungei made no move to answer, the tension in her shoulders and face self-evident.

"I know you're a good person; I knew even before coming here you were just lashing out because of the contract with Hajime."

When Shungei continued without a reaction, Wakaba asked hesitantly, "Are you in love with him, with Kurikara, I mean?"

That made Shungei laugh unexpectedly, leaving Wakaba more than a little confused.

Tossing the fish's remains away with an angry throw, the shikigami gave the miko a frustrated look and shook her head definitively. Then that smile came back again with that horrible bittersweet sadness, as if she wanted to say 'There are too many things to say and I can't tell you.'

Turning to tend the fire, Shungei left the rest of the fish to Wakaba.

"Nngh, I'll kill whoever dumped water on me..." A sleepy Terazuma put hands over his grumpy face. "I'm fucking cold."

Shungei looked back, hmphing, and said "Awwllf?" the 'Oh' distorted, but with a tone that clearly said "I'd like to see you try!".

Wakaba giggled suddenly at Terazuma's face. "Hajime, she caught breakfast and cooked it! Be grateful."

He growled sleepily, muttering, and sat up, his skin showing under the large tear down the right pant leg, held together by knots and strips of a torn-shirt. Wakaba collected the palm frond and sat by him, offering it. "Eat up!"

* * *

The bright light streamed into his eyes. Rubbing his face Tsuzuki blinked as he remembered the dream, the running theme of the recent dreams altogether. This dream had definitely been about Hisoka, too. _Do I enter his dreams?_, Tsuzuki worried as he tried to roll over to avoid the sunlight. He ended up on top of Hisoka with his nose squarely in his blond hair, his boner pressed against the shorter's leg. Sluggishly, Tsuzuki rolled back over on his side, raising a hand against the light as the other went to the tented bed-kimono to take care of himself, while Hisoka stirred.

An incoherent sleepy voice that wasn't his own mind hummed in Tsuzuki's head. Their connection, ever since the scars had begun to mutate into curvy lines, had given Tsuzuki more and more insight into Hisoka's thoughts and feelings. It made it much easier to understand Hisoka when he was having trouble communicating or expressing himself.

His hand and paused in its action, and he held his breath, hoping Hisoka would fall back asleep, at least while he wanked off. Forcing himself to go limp worked only so much before the frustration became too much for his body to handle.

Sighing deeply, Hisoka stopped moving and began breathing heavily again.

Squeezing himself through the kimono, his groin jumped to life and he held his breath to stop the moan. Regaining his breath, he squeezed again and pleasure shot through him that was so intense that it caused him agony.

He slipped his hand under his clothes and groped himself, blind because he had shoved the pillow in his flushed face to muffle the grunts that could no longer be held back. The taste and texture of Hisoka's hard, velvet-skinned erection coming in his mouth replayed as he gave himself a final hard jerk, feeling the orgasm cresting. His entire body followed jerking, and he came messily over his cupped hand. Body sagging like putty, a sweaty Tsuzuki panted in relief, feeling almost suffocated by the pillow.

When Tsuzuki's mind finally became aware of the world around him, he realized Hisoka was awake, and had woken up some time before he climaxed. He knew because Hisoka was so embarrassed that he was pretending to be asleep.

Wiping his hand off on the kimono because he knew he'd have to change anyway, Tsuzuki took the pillow off his face, and all was silent. He felt guilty while he waited to see if the empath would say anything about what Tsuzuki had just done.

Shifting, Hisoka sat up, face flushed. "You..." He trailed off, looking away, and moved to get off of the bed. _'It's dirty and gross having your hot, wet mouth-'_ Hisoka brought a hand up to his forehead, checking for a fever when he suddenly got hot from a shivery wave of anticipation. _'What am I thinking? Get down, damnit.'_

_No luck at that_, Tsuzuki noted with a downward glance. Hisoka whipped his head up fast and flushed when he saw Tsuzuki's eyes on his crotch. Speechless, Hisoka protectively brought his hands over himself to block Tsuzuki's probing eyes.

"Did you want me to do it again?" Tsuzuki asked hesitantly, feeling the knot of fear in Hisoka's stomach as his arousal became more pronounced beneath his fingers.

"No," Hisoka's voice was small, feeling disappointed and anxious._ 'Muraki liked doing that.'_ And while that was true, Tsuzuki could clearly tell Hisoka liked the act in itself.

"Okay. I need to go clean up. I'll see you in the Hall for breakfast—" Hisoka's soft, warm hand grabbed Tsuzuki's wrist.

"I... want." Hisoka swallowed, when his voice cracked. _'Please stay.'_

Tsuzuki waited, getting turned on by Hisoka's flustered, needy expression. "What do you want?" He prodded verbally, trying to stay neutral even while he body was utterly willing to charge in full-steam ahead.

"Touch me?" Hisoka was so tense that the voice came out half-strangled. Asking for it was an alien concept to him. To actually want someone else's hands on him. To love someone enough to try to get past the horrifying memories of the at-times pleasurable, but mostly painful, sex forced onto him. The slender fingers slipped off Tsuzuki's wrist.

The violet-eyed shinigami sat down heavily on the bed. Tsuzuki's heart ached at the tension in his voice. He didn't want Hisoka to feel like that with him, scared of intimacy because of what he had experienced, even though it was completely understandable.

Hisoka ducked his head down. "The Marks burn... I thought maybe..." '_..maybe you wanted sex.' _The words were on the tip of his tongue, but Hisoka had second thoughts about voicing them. With good reason.

Immediately, anger curled menacingly in Tsuzuki as he remembered Rikugo's warning, _"He has learned helplessness."_

"I only want it if you want it," the even tone lacked inflection as he struggled to check his anger at Muraki.

"I want it..." The Marks flared up again, and Hisoka moved closer to Tsuzuki crawling on all fours, following the will of Tsuzuki's desires. _'Oh, no. NO!'_ Hisoka's face twisted in a way that Tsuzuki thought he'd never see again. Fear, complete unbridled fear, killed Tsuzuki's hard-on just like that.

"No, Hisoka." The forced, forward movement stopped. "I will only do anything when you really want it. And by that, I mean, if you aren't yourself because our contract has to force you or if you are terrified of doing something like that, then no, I don't want it."

The Marks' light died, and Hisoka gasped out as his arms dropped him face-first in the mattress. His shoulders shook. He fisted both hands in the sheets and Tsuzuki carefully sat next to him keeping his hands to himself, as Hisoka sobbed quietly into the bed.

The shuddering of Hisoka's shoulders abated for a time, and Tsuzuki reached out and brushed his fingers through Hisoka's hair hesitantly. "Sorry you had to go through that again."

Delicate, long-fingered hands grasped Tsuzuki's kimono hanging over his thigh. Tsuzuki watched as Hisoka crawled almost on top of his lap, not meeting his eyes. Then, Hisoka planted his wet face against Tsuzuki's chest. "I'm scared of that, of you making me do things I don't want," he whispered so very quietly.

Tsuzuki carefully wrapped both arms around him. "I won't."

Four very long minutes of silence ticked by while Hisoka took purposeful breaths to calm down and relax, tickling Tsuzuki's skin. Tsuzuki's legs had fallen asleep, and he shifted to try to get comfortable. Something tugged on the cord around Tsuzuki's kimono, and Tsuzuki pulled back enough to see what he was up to. "H-Hisoka?" He stammered as Hisoka pulled the kimono apart and stared down at his groin that began to stiffen at the sudden attention it received.

"It's..." _'Much bigger.'_ Hisoka hesitated but kept his eyes on him, even as his stomach tied itself in knots again.

"Don't do that." Tsuzuki pulled both ends of his bed kimono out from under Hisoka's curious hands, and covered himself.

"Do what?" Hisoka frowned, suddenly anxious when he couldn't seem to read Tsuzuki well.

Tsuzuki sighed, "I should go. You should take care of yourself..." He moved to the edge of the bed. He obviously needed to let Hisoka work things out... It was a huge mood-killer to have him be compared to a rapist. No matter what Hisoka said about trusting him, with the demon howling and banging in his cage, demanding that he force Hisoka to forget about his experiences with Muraki...

There was the sound of rustling, and Tsuzuki froze before he had even managed to stand.

"If you want me, why don't you take what you want?"

If Tsuzuki just turned his head, he knew he would see Hisoka displaying himself in a provocative manner, but the tremulous feelings, the quaking anxiety, underlying that bold statement...

"Hisoka," Tsuzuki stated evenly, "I won't rape you. You do know the difference between intimacy and rape, right?"

A memory of Tsuzuki's voice shouting _"If there's no choice—!"_ the absent 'then' hanging there like an unknown answer to his question. "I would rather you than Muraki. That would be my choice."

It really was like a kick in the gut. Muraki had stolen more than just Hisoka's sense of safety. Hisoka felt responsible for his own rape as if that perverted doctor had convinced him that he couldn't stop himself, as if Hisoka could have escaped if he ran faster or kept fighting him, or if he hadn't just given up and laid there like some pretty, living, breathing blow-up doll...

"We aren't having sex. Don't be so arrogant to think I can't resist you because that demon can't," Tsuzuki said coldly. God, this connection was driving him crazy. He wasn't used to seeing Hisoka so clearly, seeing how hurt and insecure he was behind that mask of self-assured confidence. It was a lie, a mask woven of denial and emotional numbness.

"Then prove it. Turn around and look at me."_ I will do anything for Tsuzuki, and it's okay if I don't want it because I love him and Tsuzuki loves me and won't hurt me'_, Hisoka's logical thought went, even as his heart felt betrayed by the situation he had become ensnared in. Tsuzuki's heart ached. He wanted to reassure him, but was absolutely positive that Hisoka wouldn't be able to hear the words. He had been lied to all of his life. Actions and feelings screamed louder than words.

Tsuzuki's breath caught in his throat. If he didn't turn around, it would validate Hisoka's negative opinion of himself. He moved his foot to turn around.

Hisoka had laid back onto the pillows completely naked, the kimono under him framing his skinny body. His normally-pale, hairless skin was flushed all over, smooth and unblemished other than where he had be marked by the curse. Tsuzuki's eyes swept from his shoulder to his two nipples, tracing the natural line of body, past his rib cage. Nestled between his thin legs was his erection at half-mast, his scrotum bunched up tight to his body.

Tsuzuki felt drawn to him. Hisoka's scent was pungent now, a distinct musk that Tsuzuki recognized from yesterday. He moved on his hands and knees on the bed until he was looking over at Hisoka who looked back with eyes clouded with conflicting emotions, a sense of despairing smugness pervading his mood.

When Tsuzuki reached a hand out and gently touched his right cheek, Hisoka went very still. "You said you wanted to be touched. This was what you wanted, right?"

"Yes," Hisoka whispered softly, and a great feeling of relief washed over him as his remaining tension melted out of him. As he relaxed, Hisoka felt undesirable sexual desire shoot through him suddenly. Memory flashed again and Tsuzuki had the impression of their shared dream-kiss, and Hisoka's desire unfurled more like some living thing fluttering under Tsuzuki's fingertips.

Leaning forward, Tsuzuki cupped Hisoka's face with his other hand, and then their lips met. Hisoka's kiss was awkward, like an out-of-water fish mouthing the air in a predictable pattern. Tsuzuki tilted his head to angle his lips against Hisoka's. Wanting Hisoka to feel more comfortable, Tsuzuki helped guide Hisoka into the kiss by adjusting his grip, and his fingers lightly brushed and then cupped the arch of Hisoka's ear. Images of piercing silver eyes and a suffocating kiss split them quickly apart.

Forcing his eyes open, Hisoka panted from the onset of sudden terror, and then swallowed. "Sorry," he croaked out.

"No. It's okay." Tsuzuki's hands hovered, afraid of what he saw, afraid that... afraid that those vivid memories would come back even stronger if he did that again. "Why did that..."

"You touched my ear. _He_ liked ears," Hisoka muttered angrily, "I didn't know that would trigger that, when it didn't... when you were down there." He barked out a rough laugh then, as his eyes teared up. Hisoka had started to enjoy Tsuzuki's lips pressing against his until that flashback shot it down. His sexual desire, despite the sudden interruption, hadn't sizzled out in the slightest. In fact, it seemed stronger than before, though it brought a sickening feeling to Hisoka.

The feeling of disgust at himself caused Hisoka to twist away and pull back, even while he winced at the deep ache in his groin. Tsuzuki watched him bring his hand between his legs, but when Hisoka made contact he jerked his hand away from himself like he had burned his fingers. He sucked in air, the flush creeping back into his face, as he stubbornly fought his body's impulse, angry at himself. Hisoka thought he had gotten over the disgust of touching himself.

Tsuzuki carefully laid a hand on the back of Hisoka's head and when Hisoka didn't react Tsuzuki gently dragged his hand down his neck, landing his hand to the safer area of Hisoka's shoulder. He kneaded his fingers into the tense muscle. "Hey, don't let what he did to you make you feel that way. You enjoyed our kiss, right?"

He nodded as tears welled up again. "It hurts." He wasn't talking about the kiss.

"Shh, it's okay." Tsuzuki wiped the fresh tears. "I can take care of it for you."

Hisoka grabbed his hand and pressed his forehead into Tsuzuki's palm. It seemed to calm him down, distract him from the building pain. Hisoka closed his eyes for only a moment, and that inner strength that Tsuzuki admired and adored showed itself in his eyes."Okay. Just... not with your mouth."

He hadn't been expecting to get permission so easily and his brain short-circuited as blood rushed to his groin. Tsuzuki knew exactly what Hisoka wanted but... "Uh..."

Sighing in frustration, Hisoka dragged Tsuzuki's hand down the side of his face to the side of his neck. "Before that, kiss me again."

Making a soft noise, Tsuzuki leaned forward again warily. He was wary of those vivid memories, knowing in his own experience how horribly crushing Muraki's kissing was, and that overly probing tongue and biting teeth on his ears. He stopped short of kissing Hisoka as he shoved those memories out of his mind.

Bending some, Hisoka met him in the kiss, pressing his chest against Tsuzuki's. Hisoka's kiss was again chaste and awkward and sloppy, but it was his. Tsuzuki, of course, hadn't expected him to be a pro at it— Hisoka slid his tongue just so across his bottom lip and sucked it into his mouth gently. That made Tsuzuki moan and whimper as he gazed into Hisoka's deep green eyes, the ones that had immediately read how Tsuzuki wanted to be kissed and gave it to him.

After it was good and swollen from suction, Tsuzuki's bottom lip was released with a wet pop. But Hisoka wasn't done. He slipped his pliable, wet tongue inside Tsuzuki's mouth, and Tsuzuki thought that he could come just like that with that devilish, slick tongue swirling and caressing against his, teasing him like that.

When Hisoka pulled back, Tsuzuki moaned a complaint. Hisoka gave him a pointed look and placed his hand over Tsuzuki's hand, which had moved back to his jaw. He tugged it down, down past his ribs, down past his belly button, and lower.

Starting at the touch of Hisoka's throbbing erection under his fingertips, Tsuzuki carefully watching Hisoka's face. The reaction had been immediate as Hisoka's expression changed into one of excitement and pleasure.

Tsuzuki froze, not moving his hand from where it was perched, cupping him. Adjusting Tsuzuki's hand, Hisoka slowly fisted his hand on top of Tsuzuki's, closing Tsuzuki's fingers around his erection.

"_Do_ something." Hisoka groaned at him, lightly panting. When Tsuzuki remained frozen and incredibly aroused touching something so sensitive on Hisoka, Hisoka tightened Tsuzuki's hand on him with a hiss of pleasure.

His fingers were unmoving, wrapped around Hisoka's full erection with only the very tip of its head escaping Tsuzuki's grasp. Hisoka made an irritated noise and jerked his hips instinctively up and then dropped them down with a low, long 'ohh'. He did that several times as Tsuzui watched in anticipation. Then, sensing Hisoka grow frustrated with him, Tsuzuki tightened his grip on him, and Hisoka moaned out a noise that sounded like praise. Tsuzuki decided he really liked that and did it again pressing his tight fist against Hisoka's up-thrust...

With a sharper gasp, Hisoka bucked into his hand, heartbeat pulsing rapidly in the large vein beneath the pads of Tsuzuki's fingers. He squeezed experimentally again, and Hisoka cried out as his body responded again, pre-cum beading out from the slit. Hisoka's scent grew so strong that Tsuzuki didn't think he could ever forget it.

Then, Tsuzuki released him, fingers trailing down his engorged cock to the sac beneath it.

"Why did you stop?" Hisoka groaned out, his eyes opening wildly before fluttering to half-lidded.

Leaning forward farther, Tsuzuki ducked his head down while he very gently kneaded Hisoka's balls. "You sure you don't want me to suck on you again?"

With a surprised gasp followed by a grunt, Hisoka's eyes rolled back as his body jerked forward suddenly, spurting streams of semen onto Tsuzuki and along his bared chest. He sighed out in relief, his shaft going limp against his belly. The air was thick with the smell of musk and bleach.

Tsuzuki gently let him go, while looking at Hisoka's relaxed, content expression.

Blinking dazedly up at Tsuzuki when the sunlight was shadowed by his form, Hisoka's breath picked up speed again. Tsuzuki's desire for him nearly smothered him with love. It was no longer threatening to him.

"Can I lick it up at least?" asked Tsuzuki in a voice Hisoka hadn't heard before that was neither meek or timid.

Scrunching his nose, Hisoka tried to say something and had to clear his throat. "Don't be gross," he said breathlessly.

"Is that a yes or a no?"

Marks flickering only once, Hisoka hesitated, blinking again. "...Yes..." He admitted softly.

Tsuzuki grinned, and bent over him with a gaze fixed on Hisoka's face.

Hisoka watched him curiously. His release didn't smell like it would taste very good, but Tsuzuki lapped it up, sucking on patches of skin like it was something to be savored. Even after he was done, Tsuzuki's hot breath and warm, moist tongue continued exploring him, over scars he was self-conscious about and into gullies of sensitive areas.

His groin twitched and began to grow erect again, while Hisoka looked embarrassed.

"It's normal for us to rebound like that."

"I thought you'd say that," Hisoka said breathlessly, making a noise when Tsuzuki's tongue ran over another sensitive spot. "Wait, are you going to be all right focusing on me like that? It... Doesn't it..." Hisoka grew flustered again. He already knew how Tsuzuki got off on pain, but to see it in action was another thing altogether.

"Yes, it hurts."_ And I like it._ Tsuzuki backed off of him, reached down, and squeezed himself tightly to try to release some of the pressure. He about came just with that. "Oh god."

Hisoka stared at him, his face bright red. All it did was make Tsuzuki more hot and bothered. Quickly, he jerked roughly over himself several times until he climaxed, crying out. With a look of shy indulgence, Hisoka had watched him the entire time without turning away.

"I love you," Tsuzuki said with a dopey smile, leaning over to kiss him carefully. Hisoka didn't say anything, but he wrapped tight arms around his neck and tongued his lips wanting to kiss again.

Until Hisoka told him to stop, Tsuzuki would continue to show him the difference.

It was going to be awhile before either of them left the room.

* * *

The cool wind bit into his face and Ken's chilled arms wrapped around Kurikara's waist as he stirred. The sound of the constant wind and the rocking of Gusoku-turned-dragon had helped him sleep some, which had only happened at Kurikara's insistence. The sun was warming him up.

"Finally awake, huh?"

Ken knew the old man was amused by something. "What's so funny?" As Ken leaned back, Kurikara obligingly lifted the heavy hold he'd had on Ken's arms.

The Dragon King tilted his head, glancing back at him with a gigantic grin. "You slowed us down by trying to fly on your own, twice."

Ken's throat constricted as he looked down at the great expanse of trees. They were really high up. He leaned a little further out and swallowed. Really high up. "Uh... Thanks."

"If you broke your neck, it would be bothersome."

Rankled by the nonchalance, Ken bit back, "Good to see you're still an asshole."

"Aw, did I hurt your feelings, sweet-cheeks?"

"Hey, babyface, the only things sweet about me are my tattoos."

"Too bad the best ones aren't yours, honey-cake."

"I'd be kicking your ass, little man, if we weren't currently riding a magical, dragon machine to who the hell knows where."

"Hah! Even if we weren't, punk, I'd kick your ass. Don't forget you're only a tadpole compared to me."

"Shorty—AGHH!" Ken grabbed onto Kurikara tightly as the dragon swerved straight up into the clouds, while the shikigami laughed maniacally. "YOU TRYING TO KILL ME?"

"No!" Kurikara laughed. "Hang on!" The Dragon King undulated his hips once leaning forward and sharply dipped to the right, and Gusoku miraculously followed going into a right-turning diving spiral straight towards a large palace.

As strongly as he could, Ken tightened his legs around the hulking beast's saddle, unable to breathe from the amount of centripetal force trying to throw him off, and then the metallic wings pressed against them as the dragon catapulted itself ever faster towards the ground, just short of the alabaster marble gate to the palace.

Dizzy, Ken shut his eyes trusting that this old, insane shikigami would get them through safely like he had dozens of times before.

With a loud metallic screech and a vibration that coursed through Gusoku and into them, they landed in the courtyard. White-stone tiled the ground where Gusoku had landed and was rugged from where its claws tore into it. Gusoku clacked its claws to an unblemished spot and laid down. Dust kicked up in the wind as Kurikara hopped down from Gusoku, patting it like a steed.

"TRAITOR! How _dare_ you show yourself _here_!" The shrill voice made Kurikara smile even though he raised his hands to show he was unarmed.

"What did you land us in now?" Ken hissed angrily as he slid off the dragon and crouched defensively behind it.

Abruptly, the ground shook, and Ken held on tightly to Gusoku having second-thoughts about getting off of it. At the sound of cracking gravel, Ken looked behind him, just in time to watch the ground inexplicably and uniformly split in a rectangular seam around the long stream of broken tiles. Ken watched in slack-jawed amazement as the whole section dropped into a giant hole with a sudden crash and an upwelling of dust. The ground shook again and the courtyard somehow replaced the tiles without warping the bordering walls around it.

It was silent other than for the hiss of fine dust settling around them.

Kurikara's voice unwaveringly declared, "Suzaku, _you_ betrayed _me_. But then, you still think I killed Byakko, too, so I can't blame you for inconsistency."

The dust cleared, and Ken saw a huge sword pointed at Kurikara's throat held by an impossibly red-haired, busty long-legged woman. "I _demand_ to know why you are here."

Kurikara tsked and spat, looking to Byakko. "I hope that you haven't lost your mind, too?"

With an enraged snarl, Suzaku stepped forward snapping her sword up aiming for his jugular as Kurikara dodged and dodged again, glancing at Byakko whose tail flicked in agitation.

"_Murderer_! Do you expect him to forgive you?" She screamed and cut her sword down while he looked away again for the tenth time.

Throwing his wrist up in defense, Kurikara's gauntlet shrieked in protest. "You know, we've been over this before. You weren't there. Kijin and I were. One of us killed him, and it wasn't me." Kurikara said casually, then nodded his head towards the lean woman calmly standing 50 meters away and not meeting his gaze. "Who's that?"

With another enraged cry, Suzaku changed her pose and swiped at him again, blood splattered as Kurikara jumped back a moment too late. "I _WILL_ KILL YOU."

"Uh... She's a hei hei," Byakko's cheerful voice answered, watching the fight with the interest of a person troubled by what he saw.

Suzaku roared as she flung a hand out, "Don't tell the enemy what is none of his business! Did you forget who killed you?"

Raising his eyebrows, Byakko shrugged helplessly. "He asked."

"LOOK YOU—!" Suzaku turned to her closest friend, her unmet fury demanding as her sword dropped down.

"I see you two haven't changed a bit." Kurikara grinned, but replaced his expression with steely eyes and when Suzaku brought her sword back up. "Easy. I'm not here to fight, Suzaku. I'm trying to—"

"ENOUGH," came the furious reply blinded by vengeance. The sword sliced into his side as he jumped, his hand outstretched. "Spirit of Ame!"

Ken's right arm glowed as the dragon's outline erupted in light. The flat creature slipped from his skin and burst off in a shock of pure light, rocketing to Kurikara's awaiting palm.

As Kurikara dropped down, deflecting a stabbing blow with his own sword, all amusement was gone as if erased. He stepped back and to the side fluidly as she struck again and again, each time deflected, while he spoke calmly, "I thought we could work something out, but I see time has not been as good to you."

At that maniac, grim expression the Dragon King wore, Ken was again reminded of how suicidal and nuts his abrasive, controlling shikigami could be. These people were not friends like Kurikara had implied when asked why they had started searching for Gates to this other world a decade ago.

Now he watched as he barely followed one vicious attack after another, while the left side of Kurikara's kimono became soaked in his blood. Ken was worried that this Suzaku, who was by all looks the Guardian of the South, the Phoenix of lore in human form, was kicking Kurikara's ass.

Within moments, they catapulted themselves into the air, striking metal meeting again and again and again. Then, Ken couldn't track them at all. He turned to see Byakko, another mythological Guardian, gaze up at the sky tracking their fight. Ken looked up again at the beautiful blue sky sprinkled with sudden sparks here and there and heard only what sounded like the clanging fight of a dozen swords echo through the air like some historical re-enactment.

Then, Byakko winced and darted forward as a red form came crashing down, slamming into the pavement like a meteorite. The loud CRACK sent shock waves radiating from the depressed circle where she fell, followed by the zigzagging fractures in the very thick tiles of the courtyard.

The man in blue was suddenly before Kurikara, protecting Suzaku's prone body. He shifted into a defensive, barefisted stance. "This fight is finished."

"You better believe it." Kurikara threw his sword up into the air, "Release!" The sword disappeared shooting like lightning back to Ken's arm, who yelped and shook his right arm like he'd been shocked. The diminutive form turned towards Tenkuu's main palace.

Byakko broke his stance, dropping to Suzaku's side, "What _did_ you expect coming here?"

"To make peace. Hosogyokumon has returned, and I'm the only one who can stop him."

The Guardian of the West said nothing as he checked to see if Suzaku needed Kouchin's healing song before she could be moved. Finding a broken arm, already blooming bruises and numerous non-fatal cuts, Byakko lifted Suzaku into his arms. With a serious expression, Byakko said, "Sohryuu will be angry that you're here... You should have Kouchin look at your wounds while you have the chance."

"Hah! Don't worry yourself over the 'enemy' and take Suzaku to her." Byakko was casually dismissed with a waving hand. Kurikara stopped mid-step, looking up at the massive palace, and stated absently, "Gusoku, rest mode."

The giant dragon with only an indignant noise immediately folded in on itself, leaving behind the motorcycle Ken was so familiar with.

"Where are you going?" Ken asked heatedly, deeming it safe enough to distract him with his 'annoying' questions. This wasn't a good situation what with Kurikara leaving a faint, bloody left footprint everywhere he went, yet Kurikara was going to waltz in recklessly like he always did.

"Punk, stay put. You're a liability where I'm heading." Then he began to walk away with his reincarnated friend staring hard after him, probably looking for a limp like his human was.

Usually, that deadened tone meant they were in serious trouble. And if they were in serious trouble... "And you're a damn stubborn dragon!" Ken yelled after him.

Kurikara flipped him off.

"FUCK YOU TOO! I DON'T CARE IF YOU BLEED TO DEATH, YOU SHITHEAD!"

The Dragon King continued to walk as if Ken had said nothing.

"Excuse me. Who are you?" The friendly tone asked from behind.

Jumping in his skin, Ken turned to the furry-eared man with wild short, light blue hair that stuck up straight. Ken had never seen the kind of blue gazing at him thoughtfully before in a person's eyes. "Um. Hi. Name's Ken."

"Follow me, Ken. Tenkuu is full of dangerous traps. " The ears flicked and the tail swished restlessly, as Byakko carried Suzaku to an adjacent building to the left of the main palace.

Taking one last look as the short form disappeared into the shadows of the gigantic palace, Ken followed, if only because Kurikara had told him to stay away from him.

* * *

Well within Tenkuu's walls, ever closer to the palace's center where he suspected Sohryuu was, Kurikara coldly broke his silence when another trap opened up beneath him, "Tenkuu, I'm trying to help your Master, and I can't do that if you keep childishly throwing traps at me."

"Which do you claim to help? Surely not Tsuzuki who you refused years ago." The deep, dark cavernous voice resonated.

"You accepted Enma's pawn as a master?" Kurikara snorted in disgust. The floor gave out from under him, and Kurikara floated over the sea of spikes skewering skeletons and set down on the opposite side. "Damnit, you're really pissing me off!"

"Sohryuu has accepted him, and he has dominion over me, just as that fragile human has dominion over you."

The Dragon King stalked through the deliberately, twisty corridor. "What the hell does a stinking dog of Enma need six of the most powerful shikigami for?"

A long piece of stone shot out from the wall, striking the bloody spot on Kurikara's abdomen. He gasped and held his side, stepping back. "You are injured, O Great Dragon King. Surely you should find someone to tend to you?"

"Shut the hell up, you damn building!" Kurikara furiously punched through the horizontal half-pillar that had reopened his wound.

"I find it curious, Betrayer. How does a human-hating shikigami become so enamored with a human to trust it with an arsenal of such power?"

Ignoring Tenkuu's mocking voice, a frustrated Kurikara slammed a fist into the wall of the dead-end that had appeared before him, destroying its regular pattern of stone. "SOHRYUU! I KNOW YOU CAN HEAR ME! LET ME IN!" He pounded his fists into the stone, over and over again reducing it to rubble. Another stone wall that looked exactly the same was behind it.

Suddenly chains snaked around his wrists and ankles, holding him in place. "My master wishes to be left alone. Be content with visiting the bowels of my dungeons."

The maw of darkness opened up around him as the chains grew taut and pulled.

Kurikara laughed, and then the world turned white obliterating chain and walls and ground. The sky opened up above him, letting a breeze into the stuffy, dark passage. "Sohryuu, don't be stupid. I don't want to destroy Tenkuu, if I don't have to."

The broken bricks and statues moved as Tenkuu slowly bridged the breach overhead. As Kurikara looked longingly up at the closing sky with his good eye, chains slunk up, wrapping around his ankles. The chains had only a brief moment to pull him towards the creepy darkness again before he slammed them with divine ki, rocking the building's very foundations. "SOHRYUU!" The world went white again as stone turned to ash and dust and soot, and the repaired roof blew off leaving a giant scar in the palace.

Rubble, there was rubble everywhere as Kurikara touched down in an uncovered, dark audience chamber, sunlight streaming in through heavy dust in the air. Just behind the broken throne would be a door that would lead to the suites where the Dragon of Water lived and bathed, when he wasn't being a pompous prick.

"FIEND!" A very pissed-off voice boomed. Sohryuu filled the arched doorway, hair in disarray and his Chinese-style outfit unbuttoned and wrinkled. His body was filled with tension from his face to his bare feet, and his expression was foul. Sohryuu snarled, "How did you get free from Fuyuu Desert?"

Kurikara turned with a furious look on his face. "By escaping, isn't it obvious? And I'm here to take care of your problem, dumbass, which is waiting just outside! If you're hiding out, then you know exactly what I'm talking about!" Kurikara blasted right back.

"I am no coward. My armies are amassing as we speak." Sohryuu's cold anger frosted the chamber with his icy power.

A bitter laugh fell from Kurikara's lips. "I never suggested you were a coward. I know you. I know you remember what happened when that fucking Snake came last time. I know why you stay here instead of being at the front lines. So, are you going to invite me in or not?" When Sohryuu stood there without a reaction, Kurikara's expression darkened. "Or would you like your secret revealed when you can no longer deny him?"

Sohryuu stood still as a rock, seemingly immovable. Then, there was a tremor in his hand and a twitch near his lips, and he stepped inside. Kurikara followed him, where an untouched meal was half-wasted on the ground.

"Was it a wormhole?" Sohryuu asked waspishly, turned away from him hiding the shake in his left hand.

"Yes, but right now that's not important." As Kurikara picked up a chair that had been knocked over, he turned to look at Sohryuu. "In order for me to offer assistance, I need to ask you a favor."

The icy blue eyes slanted suspiciously at him. "What kind of favor?"

"Release Ō. With his power and mine, we should be able to destroy that snake bastard," Kurikara said levelly.

"That I cannot do. Remember what started the War between us? It was that very thing that you burned and slaughtered thousands for."

"Don't twist the past to justify your actions, Sohryuu!" Anger vented from his lips, and then he closed his good eye and took a deep breath. "I don't have time for this. If you don't give me permission, I'll take Ō by force, and your sanctuary here might not survive that."

"Ō is one of Tsuzuki's shikigami. You only need to ask Tsuzuki for Ō's assistance, but the restraints he wears aren't removable."

"Just how many shikigami does that dog of Enma have?"

There was a look of distaste on Sohryuu's face. "You'll have to ask him. He recently picked up another that was a surprise to us."

"You mean, a surprise for you," the frank voice commented.

Sohryuu's lip curled back. "This particular half-breed is the child of that monster outside."

Kurikara blinked. "What do you want me to do about it?" He asked flatly.

"Kill him." The voice was ice cold.

The stony face of the Dragon King remained impassive. "And what would that accomplish?"

Sohryuu slammed his hands down on the table. "He brought the flowering winds to our once peaceful world! There have been countless ill omens since that bastard child has arrived here! It has been prophesied that he will bring destruction and chaos, and that has already happened with _your_ appearance!"

"Ryujin, the messenger that brings the bad news is rarely the one that caused it. Gensoukai has been unstable for far longer than when this kid showed up." Kurikara looked at him steely. "What has happened to you?"

"You lost the right to call me that when—gkh!" Sohryuu bent over grabbing the front of his chest and leaned heavily on the sturdy table as spasms wracked his body. "Get... Out," he bit out as his head began to twitch to the side, back and forth like a bobble-head. "GET OUT!" He wailed, agony coloring the roar he meant.

Wordlessly, Kurikara left. The remnants of his heart were weighted with heaviness to see the torment begin anew for the Dragon of Water, his once best friend. His sworn enemy.

* * *

He saw when the great metal beast dove straight through Tenkuu's gates where he was crouched like a common thief far from Tenkuu's sensitive perimeter. Hosgykumon glared out from the leaves of the overgrowth, while his useless, rebellious spawn gurgled.

That damnable Dragon of Fire was inside. The castle was taken, and he was not yet in a good position to face the potent Fires of Rebirth.

Regardless, he could feel Sohryuu's power coursing through the stonework of the palace like a beacon in the dark. He could make use of that.

Though he couldn't see through the walls, he could sense him within its protection, practically taste his sweet, salty skin from here.

"Come to me."

The fool resisted again, but given enough time he would soon be outside Tenkuu. Disobeying their contract would induce unbearable pain, and that pain would scramble his thoughts until the order was obeyed.

Hosgyokumon smiled. His little slave had grown powerful...

_Soon, Gensoukai will be **mine**._

**TBC.**


	15. Gods and Destruction

_**Author's notes**:__ Thank you for all your reviews! Abzu is from the Egyptian mythos, since I couldn't find a name for that cave under Tenkuu. Abzu is where we derive the word "abyss". Katsujin-ken means "Life-giving Sword".  
_

_Thanks **darkqryslynn**! Thanks to** EggDropSoup** for beta-ing!**  
**_

**Warning: **Language? I guess that's the same in most of my chapters though.

* * *

Kill your prayers for love and peace  
You'll wake the thought police  
We can't hide the truth inside

(It could be wrong, could be wrong)  
But it should have been right  
(It could be wrong, could be wrong)  
To let our hearts ignite  
(It could be wrong, could be wrong)  
Are we digging a hole?

-_ Excerpt from "_Resistance_" by **Muse**_

* * *

The steps in the corridor seemed fairly long and steeply down, wherever they were headed.

"You know they say Kurikara RyuOh despises humans." The deep tenor voice echoed slightly off the hard walls.

Ken raised an eyebrow. "He hates douchebags who're full of themselves."

The stairs kept going down and down. Byakko paused in front of him when there was a vibration that shook the floor and walls slightly, and then he silently continued on with his still-unconscious cargo.

"May I ask where we're going?" Ken inquired.

"The Cave of Abzu. It holds water of incredible healing."

For a time there was silence. Then a very soft sound, like music, soon became louder by very small increments carried on the breeze blowing against them. Smokeless torches lined the grand expanse of stairs, and when Ken turned his head he could barely see the bright outside light at the very top of the stairwell.

He felt bummed to think of how he was going to have to climb them to get back out and half-expected to hear Kurikara snickering in the back of his mind. Alas, he was the only one in his head since they had entered this strange world. Not that he minded _that_ much. Kurikara could be a right bastard when he wanted.

He finally recognized the sound as they went deeper and deeper down the passage. A biwa was being plucked, transforming into some song he thought was familiar, but only just. Finally they came out of the narrow stairwell onto a natural platform and into a giant dark cave. There were soft blue lights in the water swimming slowly around in the massive pool, stirring it in an odd way. Ken kept his distance.

The biwa stopped and the shadowed player looked up. "Bring her into the waters." Then, she began to sing, softly at first but steadily gaining volume. Whatever she was singing was beautiful, but not in any language Ken had heard before.

Byakko took the steps near the edge of the raised area they were on, and his body descended gracefully until the top of his head disappeared. There was splashing, and then the song crested and the entire cavern turned bright blue with light. Ken tilted his head back, gazing up at the faraway ceiling. He wondered if it was a type of photo-luminescent bacteria that reacted to certain sound waves...

"Byakko..." A roughened voice growled out. "Why the hell didn't you fight him?"

"And do what? Suzaku, Kurikara RyuOh could have killed you when he found that opening in your defense, but he didn't."

The song receded like the bay at low tide, and the light blinked out nearly simultaneously as if a rush of darkness swallowed it up. It took a long moment for Ken to register that the singing had stopped though as it seemed to resonate still inside his head.

"You brought his human down here."

"If fighting broke out between the two dragons, I figured this would be the safest place for him."

"Ah, so the Dragon King truly contracted with this human?" The woman's voice floated from where Ken knew the biwa player was seated.

"Hey, this _human_ has a name, you know. Gosh, are all you shikigami this aloof? The name's Katsujin Kenichi, but I go by Ken."

Farther down in the pool a throaty laugh started. With his sight all but blinded he could hear the player chuckle as well.

Ken sighed, knowing it was his name, "Yes, we can all thank my parents for that wordplay. I'll be here same time next week."

The water was smacked in a loud splash. "The _irony_ of the mighty Kurikara RyuOh unable to resist the temptation of acquiring a human 'sword' while in the Human World!"

Suzaku's barking laughter died quickly, however. Ken supposed it was because Kurikara was a criminal here. The biwa player spoke up, "The symbolism of Katsujin-ken is far different than what might be expected from the tyrant Dragon King."

He sighed again, glad that Byakko hadn't laughed at it. "The kanji for my name is 'Ken' for 'strength', _not_ 'sword', and 'Ichi' because I'm the firstborn. My family name is what it sounds like."

With a loud splash, the outline of Byakko soared up and then landed, crouched on the edge. "How did you meet him?"

"We crossed paths one day." Ken shrugged grinning. "And apparently I caught his attention because next thing I know he's trying to convince me to be his contractor. When I told him I wanted to a Buddhist monk instead, he said, 'If you want to waste your life in a building full of old guys playing at ghost-exorcist then suit yourself, but I'm going somewhere where actual demons and gods are at war.' End quote."

"He has a persuasive way with words, but he twists them to his benefit. If you haven't noticed, there's no war here," the voice floated up from the cave lake's deep edge.

"I don't know about that... You guys are pretty jumpy for there not being a war."

"You are aware that he is the cause? That he is a mass-murderer of the highest order? That he burned the lands that have only just recovered?" The sharp tone sorta ticked Ken off, like he was being lectured, but Kurikara had hardly told him anything.

"He said he made some very regrettable decisions that he had to atone for."

"His words are horseshit," Suzaku spat out.

"You know, I don't really care if you don't believe me."

There was a noise of frustration. "No, I believe that you believe him, Katsujin. But, he _murdered_ my best friend and then lied about it. I don't let that go lightly."

"How come no one believes what he says happened?"

Suzukau said nothing, but the cool of the cavern was being eaten from rising steam...

"Kijin is an exceptional shikigami born when the power of the Celestial Emperor overflowed from Sohryuu, Guardian of the East," Kouchin said, "He is incapable of lying. He prophesies the future with words of power, and invariably they come true. He said the Dragon King would be with Byakko at the end of his life. We didn't realize at the time that Kurikara RyuOh would betray us all, killing Byakko in cold blood."

"So... anybody else notice that the guy who made the prophecy was also at the scene of the crime?" Ken asked pensively. Suzaku tsked bitterly.

Kouchin intervened before Suzaku answered, "Tenkuu, the living palace above this cave, was witness to the crime and vouched for Kijin's innocence after all was said and done. Kijin had none of Byakko's blood on him, unlike the Betrayer who was covered in it."

"Wait, what happened? Why was Kurikara even there?"

"The war was at a stalemate, ever since the Celestial Emperor first poured power into Sohryuu," Suzaku answered heatedly, "So, the Dragon King went to make a truce with the Blue Dragon and the Celestial Emperor to end the senseless violence that had overrun Gensoukai with the sole condition to re-open the Gates to our world so humans could still seek us out for help."

Suzaku's echoing voice hardened, "He tricked everyone. The killing of his closest friend, the one who had opposed the violence the loudest and was his most ardent supporter, was just the start. Kijin fled for his life while that murderer transformed and burned the world in his haste to see Kijin dead. He massacred hundreds of thousands of innocent lives, as the Celestial Emperor had warned Sohryuu would occur if that traitor remained free. When Kurikara showed his true face, all but his most fanatical supporters turned on him and his creed of justice."

Byakko, having been silent as he listened to a story that he heard a thousand times before, spoke up then. "The Celestial Emperor's power poured even more into Sohryuu then to help Dragon of Water stop Kurikara's furious, meaningless destruction."

Threading his fingers together and putting them behind his head as he laid back on the hard chilly floor, Ken stared up. "I'm not sold on it. The guy lived in my head for eighteen years. That might not seem very long to you guys but that's more life than I've lived by myself, twice as much as what I _remember_ living before him. He's brutally honest, cutting to the truth with few words, and never sorry for revealing it. So if he said Kijin did it, I believe him."

"I suppose you can be forgiven for overlooking the flaws of someone you have grown to love as a cherished friend," Kouchin quipped lightly, sensing the unspoken angry denial as all the shikigami around him could, "We all made that mistake."

The human didn't respond, but Byakko could see even in the dim light the painful, saddened expression on his face.

"Everyone in this cavern was betrayed by Kurikara's actions. Do not take our judgment as biased ignorance. There is no other explanation for what happened that day." Suzaku's voice was firm.

"But there _has_ to be something missing," Ken said quietly.

"When everything settles, I will ask Touda to play back Tenkuu's memory of the incident. Then you too can watch Kurikara's bloodthirsty face when he slays Byakko with his back turned to him," Kouchin stated softly. "Then you will understand."

* * *

There was a distant boom and Hisoka started. Tsuzuki's arm was wrapped tightly around him as he cuddled against his back. Throat dry, Hisoka swallowed. Tsuzuki's light thoughts were muffled and distorted. He felt his emotions just fine, but none of the intent any longer. The bond was very active despite laying temporarily dormant on his skin, Hisoka could feel that much, but he could not touch Tsuzuki's mind. Hisoka thought he'd trusted Tsuzuki implicitly, but independent of his power he had grown increasingly terrified of Tsuzuki. Until Tsuzuki had shown through his gentle touch and patience that he could be trusted. He understood, and Hisoka felt like he had fallen in love again.

He listened to Tsuzuki breathe for a moment, slowly in and out. His skin was itchy from their sex, but he didn't want to disturb him. Besides, Hisoka wanted to bask a little more in the peace of his own mind. His preconceived notions had been blown away... he supposed he should have tried harder to research it, but his first and only attempt to research the subject of rape or sex had ended badly.

Right after he had found out about what Muraki had done to him, after he had remembered—after he was forced to relive the moment—and the nightmares had attacked him mercilessly for days on end, he had found the appropriate section in Meifu's library. He knew the library like a second home, but had always avoided several sections in particular fearing the spectre of Muraki. With little time, he had found the title "Recovering from Rape". Out of several other similar titles, it had sounded the most helpful. He had reached out, plucking it off the shelf like it was no big deal and read the summary.

He had looked in the direction of the checkout desk as if he could see through the bookshelves to where the Gushoshin chatted amicably with each other. His stomach had started to churn then, and he had put the book back with a shaking hand. It was already too late though. He could feel the memory push into him flooding into all of him, even as he pushed back and tried to prevent it. His throat had closed up over a scream, and he was back there in the cool, wind of fall being heckled, being torn to the ground and scratched and cut and fucked.

Hisoka shuddered, glad that only his pulse quickened in fear at the memory and nothing else.

What had felt like hours had trespassed only minutes, and Hisoka had found himself panting on the floor from the biggest panic attack he'd had at work with the older Gushoshin fussing over him in concern, while the younger fanned him. He had chalked it up to an emotional overload from a strong imprint on one of the books, but the glance the Gushoshin had shared...

He never tried that again because afterwards the Gushoshin no longer left the windows open to help air out the musty books with the sweet smell of cherry blossoms. They were gods, Hisoka knew that perfectly well, but he wasn't sure _why_ or _how_ they figured out how much he hated the smell of them.

Later, he had thought about using a computer to query a search, but the only computers he knew of were in the library or with Watari. The twin gods were a little too helpful and nosy, while the scientist was a little too candid.

If he had researched about sex, Hisoka thought he would have found that the thing that he had worried about most didn't have to happen. Many other things had as Tsuzuki had taught him with his mouth and hands and body. Hisoka blushed remembering how eagerly he had pressed himself between Tsuzuki's thighs or thrust into his tight hands and was somewhat aroused just by thought of that, even while his backside was pressed against Tsuzuki's front.

Tsuzuki had only grabbed his butt to grope it and to hold them together as they rubbed against each other face to face. To be honest, Hisoka was at a bit of a loss at his partner's approach. He had assumed, wrongly, that having Tsuzuki shove his erection into him would be what Tsuzuki would go for in the heat of the moment based on the erotic dreams and the thinly veiled desire he had projected so wantonly. Hisoka had been steeling himself for that moment, not wanting to deny Tsuzuki if that was what he wanted, but the probing fingers or tongue never touched that part of him. He wasn't sure if it was alright to feel so wonderfully relieved by that.

Tsuzuki had made sex feel so _good_...

There was another far-off boom, which sent tremors this time to their room. He sat up suddenly, Tsuzuki's arm flopping off of him.

Less embarrassed about his nakedness than he was before, a concerned Hisoka peeled the rest of himself away from Tsuzuki who snored obliviously. "What's going on out there?" he muttered to no one in particular as he grabbed the clothes lying on the ground and began to pull them on.

He jerked violently when Tenkuu answered gruffly. "Kurikara RyuOh has ceased his destruction and is speaking to Sohryuu."

Glancing back at Tsuzuki, Hisoka frowned. "Why didn't you wake us up?"

"I did not think Master wished to be disturbed. Do not worry. The situation is under control."

There were a series of booms that lightly shook the room not a few moments later, but Tsuzuki continued to snore. "Under control?" Hisoka didn't believe that for a minute as he finished pulling on the Chinese-style shirt. He probably reeked, but he couldn't really smell it. "It doesn't sound like you have it under control." Clothes on, Hisoka got back on the bed and pushed at Tsuzuki. "Wake up. There's trouble."

A purple eye opened, blinked once sluggishly, and then the other opened and, unfocused, they blinked together. "Mmmmrhmm?" Hisoka caught his breath at the, well, erection-inducing sight that Tsuzuki made as he rolled onto his back and stretched his naked body out. The effect was ruined when he yawned with his tongue out and scratched his belly.

Hopping off the bed, Hisoka tossed his clothes at him. "Get up; get dressed. Tenkuu says that the legendary Kurikara RyuOh's destroying things." There was a BOOM that shook the room so hard that Tsuzuki flopped out of his bed, arm halfway in his shirt. "And by the sound of it, I don't think he's happy."

"Kurikara... here?" Tsuzuki said sleepily, then jerked upright pulling his shirt on all the way. "Kurikara's here?"

"That's what I said."

Tsuzuki stepped into the pants tying them up and adjusted the beautifully embroidered silk shirt. "Well, I guess I should say hi." He slipped on his jacket that had been laid out on the trunk that he hadn't needed to wear in days that had its pockets stuff with charms.

Staring at the wall that had been a window before they fell asleep, Hisoka felt claustrophobic by the gray stones lined up in front of him.

A warm hand touched his shoulder, and Hisoka turned stepping into the hug meant for him. He loved Tsuzuki, and he felt the love reciprocated, though muted. Hisoka had remembered the stories about Kurikara RyuOh, and he was worried.

A hand came up and tussled his hair lightly as they hugged. "Don't worry, Hisoka. I can take care of myself. Wait here, okay?"

Pulling free, Tsuzuki turned and walked towards the exit, leaving Hisoka cold standing there. He shook his head and followed him. "No, I'm not. I'm coming with you."

"You're staying here, Hisoka." The words were powerful, coursing over him like some unstoppable avalanche that froze him mid-step, looking like some lovesick idiot the way he reached for him. His Marks burned as he fought against the direct order, and he gasped at the pain it caused.

Tsuzuki immediately looked contrite. "You can come."

Released by the half-assed pullback of a demand made in haste, Hisoka tripped over his feet, but caught himself before he fell. He panted trying to erase the shock and betrayal of having no will of his own if Tsuzuki said he didn't.

Tsuzuki shook his head obviously upset with himself, jolted by the realization that he would try to force Hisoka to stay like some pet. "Sorry. If you want to come, you can... It's just... Kurikara's fire is like Touda's. If you get hit with too much—"

"Stop denying that you have power over me and watch what you say, you idiot!" The angry words shot out as he glared his, at times, thick-headed partner. "If you had explained things properly, instead of telling me what you think I should do—!"

"I'm sorry. God, I am so sorry. I'm sorry," Tsuzuki moaned out miserably, any vibrancy from their hours of intimacy snuffed out in a sickening wave of self-deprecation. "I'm sor—"

"Stop saying that." Hisoka grabbed the hands that had cupped Tsuzuki's face and muffled the mantra of apologies. Since his hands were pulled away from his face, the guilty tears ran down freely on his cheeks, dripping heavily from his eyelashes. Hisoka's expression, instead of condemning as it had before, had softened considerably. "I forgive you, alright? It was an honest mistake." Then, a familiar, stern look was pointed at him and Tsuzuki winced reflexively. "Watch what you say and don't forget," Hisoka's voice was calmer though than when he normally scolded Tsuzuki and kinder. Tsuzuki had only wanted to protect him.

"Okay, I promise." Tsuzuki sniffled, wiping at his face.

On his tiptoes Hisoka kissed the side of his jaw. "I wish you wouldn't make promises. You always end up hurting yourself."

"I'd never forgive myself if anything happened to you." Tsuzuki said with complete seriousness.

"I know. Trust me to take care of myself... okay?"

"Mm." Tsuzuki nodded, pressing a kiss to his temple. "I'll try."

* * *

Tenkuu had been no help at all. None. Nada. Zero. The damn building wouldn't tell him where that damn shinigami was. Coupled with the ridiculous traps and winding corridors, Kurikara's patience was frayed and his temper exploded decimating path and rooms alike. Tenkuu had grown over the years, like his hair, except sprawling outward instead of downward.

Kurikara thought any servants were smart enough to seek shelter below ground where they would be safe from his wrath. However, a form appeared amongst the rubble and a familiar face. "What does a useless astrologer think he's doing when a dragon is rampaging through a palace?"

The six-eyed astrologer replied dryly, "This useless astrologer advises you to calm down. If it is Tsuzuki you seek, I can lead you to him."

"Not you too..." Sohryuu, Ō, Byakko, Suzaku, Tenkuu, Rikugo, the half-breed, Tenko, and the hated Kijin brought the tally to nine. He figured he would reach the double digits if his gut feeling was correct. To have three of the Guardians... that shinigami had most assuredly gotten Genbu as well. What were they? Collectibles to be snatched up for the taking? "I can't believe you trust such a greedy soul."

"It was necessary. Besides, Tsuzuki rarely calls on any of us, and of the ones he does, only those suited to battle. So what harm could it bring?"

Kurikara didn't crack a smile. "By all means, lead the way, fortuneteller."

Rikugo bowed and hopped from boulder to boulder reaching an unmarred hallway. "We should run into him with the boy Sohryuu attacked when they first met, if we follow this."

"Has he changed so much?"

"Sohryuu has not been himself since the Golden Emperor's power poured into him. Before you were cast to Fuyuu, you saw the three of them didn't you?"

Of course, he had. As he was led to Tenkuu's Gate that connected to several different prison dimensions, including Fuyuu Desert, after a final plea to give his non-offensive type soldiers leniency, the stoic, unmoved look on Sohryuu's face stood out. The newest one, little Tenko, in contrast had looked very concerned for the convicted Dragon despite never being properly introduced, while the smiling Kijin stood on the other side of her... Kurikara did his best to stifle the rage at the thought of that two-faced god.

The Dragon King and astrologer turned around a bend and there the shinigami was, not looking a day older from when he first pleaded with Kurikara. His heart had been swayed by the man's words and earnestness but their union would have killed him. One with demon blood cannot act as a vessel for a holy being like himself. It was probably for the better though considering how greedy Tsuzuki was.

The youth standing at his side had such an uncanny resemblance to the First King that it left Kurikara wishing for the comfort of Futsu's pommel. There was the power that was his birthright as part-shikigami humming under a seal that felt of Enma's touch... The green eyes were clear of lust, and his posture was not held with a cocky sort of vanity despite his beauty. Kurikara unfisted his hand. Curiosity and fear, human feelings, streamed from the half-breed. It was quite the juxtaposition, one the dragon hadn't seen in at least a millenia.

"Rikugo." Tsuzuki glanced between them. "Why did you bring him to me?"

"Master, he wished to speak to you."

Tsuzuki blinked. "I wish you wouldn't call me that..." His unnatural reddish-violet eyes flicked to Kurikara who crossed his arms and stared at him haughtily. "I'm glad you're here. Hosogyokumon—"

"I know. I followed him through the Gate he used when he escaped the Human Realm."

"Oh." Tsuzuki blinked again, as he often did, it seemed to Kurikara. "Wait. What were you doing in the Human Realm?"

Kurikara cracked an unpleasant smile. "I don't have time for idle chitchat. That Snake is lurking in wait right beyond Tenkuu's perimeter. I need you to summon Ō, so we can finish him off."

"Ō?" The boy finally spoke. His serious tone was hard and questioning, the fear waylaid by his curiosity.

"Touda." The name was both an answer and an order.

The shadow detached itself from behind Kurikara, who faced him.

He was like a dark spectre, showing no sign of any emotion as ex-general met ex-commander. Kurikara narrowed his eyes at the restraints.

"I want you to help Kurikara any way you can, help him defeat—"

Kurikara attacked, throwing all his weight into the heavy punch. Touda moved casually deflecting his gauntlet with a claw, but the elbow came back and slammed into the corner of the device wrapping his head. It shattered falling apart.

Shaking, Touda fell to his knees as his hair suddenly started to grow.

"What the hell was that for?" Tsuzuki demanded, as Rikugo held an arm out. Hisoka watched in morbid curiosity until sudden agony crashed into his head. He cried out as Ō's memories flooded into him. Betrayal, a betrayal so deep it couldn't be forgotten, hatred for that person, thirst for revenge, but Tsuzuki dropped right by his side anchoring him in the maelstrom. "Hisoka, what's wrong?"

"My head...!" He gripped both sides as Tsuzuki put a reassuring hand on his back.

Rikugo threw his arms out and opened all six of his eyes. "Time Freeze!"

The body was frozen but the hair continued to grow, defying the very field of time.

"Hisoka?"

Hugging his head, a sweaty Hisoka almost fell to his knees, but instead was slowly let down by Tsuzuki's sure hands. "...Why can I feel him? Before... before—"

"Hey you, start running! That won't hold Ō for long." Kurikara interrupted as he moved around to stand between Touda and Rikugo, who had been standing between Touda and his Master and the halfling.

They stumbled together trying to escape the growing, hellish power.

"Master!" Rikugo yelled. "Time's Up!" The backlash slammed Rikugo into a pillar and he crumpled against it with a pained cry, slumping forward unconscious.

"Ō!" Kurikara roared as he was completely passed as if he were stepping through molasses.

Tsuzuki was torn from Hisoka and slammed into the wall with Touda's claw-covered fingers cutting into his throat. "Tou—GKH!"

"YOU. I WON'T...! I WILL NEVER FORGIVE YOU!"

"T—hh!"_ I'm sorry. Whatever I did..._ With sad eyes, Tsuzuki lifted a hand to Touda's cheek as his throat crunched under the pressure and the world grew blurry.

A short arm wrapped around Touda's extremely long hair and yanked, though it seemed to have no effect. "Get out of here, Kid!" barked Kurikara. "Our Ki is going to overflow and trust me when I say you don't wanna be around!"

Hisoka heard him, but couldn't leave without Tsuzuki. He reached towards Tsuzuki, but was knocked away by a careless clawed-hand that swiped at him like he was some nuisance to be tolerated.

"Hey, Snake. This hair means nothing to you, right?" Kurikara grinned ferally as he pulled the knife out of his boot and slid the sharp blade through many strands.

Tsuzuki's slack arms dropped as he slumped against the wall, and Touda finally released him, snarling at Kurikara as he swiped furiously with his claw-weapons at the small form perched on his back.

"Tsuzuki!" Woozy as he healed from the knock to his head, Hisoka got back up and went to him. "We need to get out of here." He wrapped both arms around him and strained to lift him, but his weak arms were unable to pick up Tsuzuki's weight. Thankfully, Tsuzuki coughed and gazed stupidly at him for only a moment before slowly pulling himself up the wall until he was on his feet with Hisoka still attached to him. "We need to go. Now," Hisoka repeated himself.

Touda struggled for a time, and then Kurikara sensing the change in tactics immediately let go, lest the black hellfire consume him too as it covered Touda's body.

Remembering unpleasant things from that unnatural heat, Tsuzuki's eyes snapped open and he pushed off, wrapping an arm around Hisoka as they floated to a safer location.

As the unholy ki spread, Kurikara's white divine fire unconsciously counteracted it. However, this resulted in an explosion of great magnitude that splintered and hollowed out the section of Tenkuu they were in even more.

There was silence in the great ruins, but the two human souls under Enma's thumb were alright, Kurikara sensed. Rikugo should be able to dig himself out. He had survived harsher attacks.

Ō fell to the ground exhausted, looking up at the shining, open sky. A shadow fell over him.

"Do you remember yet?" Kurikara asked testily, the very normal dagger in his left hand and the large swathe of hair clutched in his right.

"Yes." Ō's hair was all around them, much longer than Sohryuu's and Kurikara's combined. "The next time you confuse me with a snake I'll shave your head."

Kurikara laughed, sitting down beside him as he twisted the unconnected hair and began to braid it out of boredom.

They both had a love for open, clear sky, so for the moment Kurikara looked up as well, the almost-deadly fight already behind them. "So I was right then about the culprit behind everything, judging by those memories."

Touda didn't say a word for a long moment, and then he turned his head, hair following. "Thank you. Tsuzuki saved me from another millennium of darkness... It would have been poor payment to kill him when that was no longer his wish."

"The guy was suicidal?" Kurikara wouldn't have expected it, but before Touda answered he shook his head. "Never mind. Look, before you came to Gensoukai, there was this ruthless, vain King named Hosogyokumon who didn't follow the natural order of things. I beat him and got him kicked out, but he's come back. I need your help killing him for good." Knowing he'd be in the way if Touda did something with his hair, Kurikara hopped into the air and hovered, still braiding the bit in his hands.

"Understood." Ō sat up and gathered up the waterfall of hair with two meaty fists, winding it up like rope. Even if he braided it, it would do nothing for the length.

"Here, we don't have time to mess with it."

The dark-skinned shinigami took the proffered long, tasseled cords that were merely decorative on Kurikara's outfit and tied the heavy, thick loop of hair with two of the cords, which fell to to his back where his hips met his spine, and then tied up at the hair at the base of his neck to keep it from getting in his way. "Where is your sword?"

"On my human, Ken."

"Shall I retrieve him?" That was one thing he absolutely loved about Ō. He never asked unnecessary questions.

"No. He's in a safe place. I can call Ame and Futsu whenever I want."

"Wise of you to keep him out of the fight." Touda stood up and looked out toward one of Tenkuu's many courtyards, and beyond the thick walls. "I sense a child outside the cycle of death. Were you not aware of him?"

"Hosogyokumon is a shikigami, so no of course not."

The burgundy eyes looked to him. "I wasn't speaking of that deposed King."

Kurikara stared hard at him. "Are you telling me that that human he possessed is still alive? Doesn't seem like something that bastard would do. He'd have to use their bond to hide the human's terror and that takes up energy." He turned away thoughtfully. "So, a human that can't die, huh? And here, I thought we were going to have to play hide-and-seek to hunt that snake down."

**TBC.**


	16. Dust and Insanity

_**Author's notes**:Thanks for all the reviews! *hearts* I hope this chapter clears up some questions and raises more! *cackles evilly* Thanks darkqryslynn!_

_Edit: Whoops, forgot the song lyrics. LAWLZ. Also, changed the title of Chapter 15._

_**Warning**: Language._

* * *

There's a fire starting in my heart  
Reaching a fever pitch, and it's bringing me out the dark  
Finally I can see you crystal clear  
Go ahead and sell me out and I'll lay your ship bare  
See how I'll leave with every piece of you  
Don't underestimate the things that I will do  
- _Excerpt from "_Rolling In the Deep_" by **Adele**_

* * *

The wind felt great against his face. It felt a bit like sailing... Terazuma turned his head to help the crick in his neck and took a deep breath of the clear air. Not one iota of brine way up here though, and there wasn't the telltale rocking either. Terazuma hadn't been in a boat in a very long time. _'Couldn't miss what you didn't do anymore'_ was his motto.

He'd done the same when his contract had been completed, when things he enjoyed doing would suddenly send the black beats into a rage. Quick showers were out, so only a soak in the tub would do. No more steak weekends, so he ate fish. No more casual people-watching during the day to keep his observation skills sharp, so he walked in secluded places during the night and lost his head imagining others walking past him. The list went on and on.

By the end of all the adjustments to his life, he hated his contract and the fact that he had ever agreed. He hated the barely perceptible slits his pupils had turned into and the weird tattoos under each eye. He resented his mentor's freedom in his retirement. Even worse, he had gotten considerably restless. He'd pick up bad habits. Old ones he had given up without the stress of providing for a family-to-be. Smoking, drinking, _anything_ to take an edge off of that horrible feeling.

Like an idiot, he'd snapped under the restrictions the the Black Lion had placed on him. He did something very stupid, something his mentor had warned him to never do. He cursed KaganKokuShungei by name with every feeling of hate and anger he had and made everything a hundred times worse. When he'd come out of the seizure he barely remembered falling into, his appearance had completely changed...

He reopened his red eyes, his hot cheek pressed to the warm back, tall fur whipping around him as he remembered the moment he had set foot in Gensoukai.

_That horrible restlessness had abated the moment his naked ass had stumbled to the ground, chained to the sharp-eyed silent woman who stretched her body out on tiptoes, both arms out like a victory sign. The look of bliss on her face later made him realize that she had hated it as much as he, and his compulsive sleuthing skills immediately made him ask himself why that was._

_He about had a heart attack when familiar black eyes stared down at him. He had about gone mental on her, wondering why the fuck he was chained to some weirdly dressed woman... he needed to think then as he got up and sat on the smooth rock next to him, the manacle and chain a heavy reminder._

_Then, she snorted to get his attention and flicked a lit, partially-used cigarette beside him. She settled down on the ground as he picked the cigarette up and stuck it in his mouth, staring down at the heavy chain. Then he looked up. "Why the hell do you get to keep your clothes?"_

_She chuffed at him, her face alight with laughter._

_"Hey! The hell're you laughing about, bitch?" He puffed on the cigarette. "And that's another thing! I thought you were a dude! My mentor referred to you as 'he' all the damn time!"_

_Her face crinkled as she laughed even harder, tears running down her face from the amount of laughter she did. She mopped them up with her long-sleeved, baggy shirt as she continued to laugh._

_"And how the hell did we get here? You know what's going to happen when we get back now! " He yelled angrily at her, pissed he wasn't getting the response he wanted. "Goddamn! Why don't you talk?"_

_She'd froze then, mid-wipe. Her face seriously blank. Then she opened her mouth and showed him why. _

_Before he could ask something she could mime an answer to, a short teenager with shiny, burnt-red, crazy-long hair stepped through the same wall of light they had fallen through and a much larger tanned, obviously-Japanese man with crazy dreadlocks and detailed dragon tattoos wrapped all the way up both arms blinked in the bright light..._

On KaganKokuShungei's massive furry back, Terazuma had to ride on his stomach frog-hugging her so his right leg could hang down because the damn chain was so short. His fingers were already fatigued from latching onto the thick curly hair on her sides, but he wasn't about to let himself hang upside-down from his right ankle because of that. His hands would have to cramp up first.

It had been Wakaba's idea to go to Mount Kurama to warn the Tenguu and open up a gate back home with those damn twin imps, after she had explained that she had only followed him to make sure he was safe. Problem was, he didn't think 'Shungei' wanted to leave. He sure as hell didn't. The chain was uncomfortable and did little for privacy when either of them needed to do business, but what awaited them in Meifu was nothing either of them looked forward to going through.

They landed below the tree line at the base of the mountain. Terazuma slipped off, as Shungei knelt to let Wakaba hop off her back. The Black Lioness transformed back to her scrappy self. With a toss of her head, she smiled and nudged the priestess towards the path up the mountaintop while Terazuma dug for another cigarette and lighter in his pockets.

"Huh? But-But Kuro-chan, you can't stay here! Terazuma would get into even more trouble. You have to come back with us!" Her pale hands were bunched up in front of her as she implored to Shungei.

Terazuma's face had the blank annoyance of someone being a tad too slow on the uptake. "I'm already in deep shit being here. I broke the rules. 'Sides, they'll force someone else to take her on." His ear itched, so he brought a hand up to scratch it. "Might as well stay until someone fetches me." He grinned toothily, crushing the cigarette filter between his teeth. "And, you know, I lose her, we can't be partners anymore. You'd move on to the next asshole who gets to take this bitch on." A hand smacked his back in what he thought was offense to his comment. He glared at Shungei who glared right back and nodded her head back towards Wakaba.

His partner's face looked distressed, upset even, but she looked resigned. She had known. Terazuma wondered how many times this had happened to her, but didn't know how he'd go about finding out without asking her directly. He also figured it was a bad time to ask.

"Isn't that what you'd like though? To not have Kuro-chan as your responsibility?"

Under the shared shade of the tree, he glanced at Shungei who looked back at him attentively, also scratching at her ear, and turned his attention back to Wakaba.

"Not enough to do that to her. Jeez, do you have any idea how painful this damn bond was to take on? It's gotta be the same for her each time it happens." He glanced at her again to see if his deduction had been correct, and Shungei grinned at him in complete agreement.

Wakaba looked between them in surprise and then seemed to realize something. "There's not much I can do other than sealing..." She looked at her calloused hands wistfully. "I'm not strong enough to seal someone like the Dragon King either..." Her breathing hitched then, and her shoulders hunched up.

Shungei glared at Terazuma whose bewildered gaze was back on her and shoved him towards her. He stumbled, his arms going wide, and held Wakaba without any pressing urge to roar or tear out of his skin. "Sorry. Don't get weepy on me, Kannuki. We'll be fine. Shungei's a serious war criminal here. She can take care of us both."

His partner shook her head. "I'll get in the way if I stay. Besides, my time limit's almost up. I have rules to follow too... and I don't have an excuse like you."

He thought about protesting, but before he uttered a thing she pushed her arm against his chest, when all he wanted to do was hold her a little longer. "Kuro-chan dragged you off and I couldn't catch up to seal her before the time limit was reached."

"They'd buy that?"

She pulled away hesitantly. "For now..." Wakaba looked tearfully over to Shungei and opened her arms hugging her around the taller's midsection and laying her ear against a breast. "I'm so sorry Kuro-chan! I didn't realize it sooner that you wanted to say 'I'm a girl!' every time they transformed from touching girls..."

The woman bent and hugged her back tightly, leaning a head against Wakaba's shoulder. The abnormally-long fingers cupped against the priestess' cheek gently, too tenderly for Terazuma's comfort and his jaw ground down. He spat out the mutilated cigarette butt. "You're gonna be late, Kannuki." The hell was he getting jealous over his shikigami for? They were both women!

Wakaba pulled back and smiled at the both of them, squeezing Shungei's hand before she moved too far and slipped her hand from hers. "Whatever you two have planned. Please be careful!" She turned abruptly to Terazuma's smoldering gaze. Skipping the short distance forward, her arms wrapped around his neck as she hopped to kiss him on tense lips. His eyelids fluttered in response as he flushed in sudden excitement as her body pressed against him.

"See you, Hajime." She smiled against his now-slack lips and skipped away dashing up the mountain, her feet barely touching the ground.

Terazuma watched after her shrinking form even after his sharp eyes lost track of her.

A chain was rattled to get his attention. He shook his head to clear it and turned to see pointed down-turned ears situated on either side of Shungei's head. Eyes widening, his hands went up to his ears and touched them. They were round and human again!

Shungei laughed at him and waggled a finger at him, pointed forcefully at the chain in her hand.

"...the chain's changed." It no longer looked like they were built to anchor a boat. Instead they looked like the ones slung across piers. Somehow they'd gotten slimmer... Looking at it in detail he almost wiped at his eyes to make sure he wasn't seeing an illusion. The chain had also gained a meter and a half at least.

"The hell's going on?" He muttered, looking at her. She shrugged and dropped it to the ground with a heavy thud.

* * *

Kijin watched his father struggle across the floor, leaving a smear of green blood on the gray stone. The proud Dragon of Water had torn through the restraints he had placed on himself, tearing nails and breaking skin and bones alike in his earnest to obey the voice that called him.

"Tenkuu, bound my father up and take him to the deepest dungeon. Cover his mouth so he is not able to order you to release him. This is for all our sakes, but especially for him."

"Yes, sire."

Immediately the floor opened up on either side and chains slung up over the human guise holding Sohryuu in place on the floor. Sohryuu struggled and kicked within the grip of the cool metal. "I must go. I MUST GO. Master calls. Tenkuu—" His commanding voice was muffled by the leather bands that had snaked themselves over his face and wrapped themselves around Sohryuu's head, leaving only a nose exposed. An angry growl ferociously echoed in the chamber as the floor space he had been chained to began to descend.

Sohryuu's skin scaled over and his body lengthened out, his legs and arms shrinking as his main body grew thicker and thicker and thicker. Many more chains appeared, lashing him in place, weighing the great dragon's body down as the leather bands accommodated his snout like an unrelenting muzzle. Not a bit of his green-blue scales showed beneath the dark-silver chains. He thrashed all the way down into the darkness, while Kijin watched.

"I'll get rid of those pests, Father. Don't you worry." Kijin called down into the dark, and then the floor covered over where there once had been an opening. "Everything will be taken care of..."

* * *

Pushed by the sonic wave of crashing energy, they tumbled rather than touched down into the cratered courtyard as the air kicked up and blew dust over them.

Hisoka tapped Tsuzuki's arm, since the larger man had protectively covered him with his body. He knew Tsuzuki would be okay. The bruises from the blown chunks of debris were healing fast, much faster than if Hisoka had suffered the same. His head still ached from Touda's claw.

"Tsuzuki, get up. I'm being smothered."

Tsuzuki sat up and white, chalk-like dust slipped off him and powdered everything it had touched with a light-color. He dusted himself off best he could as he pushed himself to his feet, and then he offered a dusty hand to Hisoka, who took it to stand up next to him. Tsuzuki tussled his hair and Hisoka sputtered and coughed when dust came tumbling down thickly. Hisoka shot a not-pleased look at him. "You could've warned me before you did that."

Looking at him carefully, Tsuzuki frowned lightly before smiling. "Sorry about that. You had some in your hair. It makes you look old."

"Same to you." Hisoka spat the grime from his mouth, though it didn't help much. He sorely missed Riko at that point, but knew better than to summon her. He closed his eyes and bent over rubbing his hands over his hair to try to get more out, while Tsuzuki did the same.

Once he had finished patting himself down, Hisoka looked back at the mess that Tenkuu was in. "You think Rikugo is okay?"

"He should be. I mean, he's still alive, though unconscious. When he's incapacitated, time freezes around him until he regenerates any damage done to him."

"That must be useful."

"It can be, but there's no telling when he'll wake up because he's outside of time. It might be in the next fifteen minutes or it could be years from now."

"What about Touda? How could I have felt him?"

Shrugging, Tsuzuki sighed. "I don't know. He's very different from the others. It's like he follows a different set of rules. I... think he's okay. If he wasn't, he'd still be trying to kill me."

"That's reassuring," Hisoka said sarcastically. It was then that Hisoka noticed the motorcycle not five meters from them. "What's that doing here?"

Tsuzuki looked very puzzled as well as they walked towards it. "I don't know. None of my shikigami work with metal."

Stepping closer, Hisoka looked at the shiny, sleek machine. It suddenly kicked on, the engine growling throatily, causing him to jump back, severely startled. He held his chest as his heart hammered, while Tsuzuki calmly held him up.

Tsuzuki looked curiously at it. "I think it's alive."

It kicked up its stand and rolled over by them, nudging Hisoka's foot.

Hisoka moved his foot and sidestepped away from it, pressing close into the safety of Tsuzuki's embrace. "Or possessed."

Trying to withhold his laughter at Hisoka's squeamishness, Tsuzuki carefully pushed Hisoka to his left side. "No, you'd be able to tell if it was that." Leaning to the right with a hand reaching for a handlebar, Tsuzuki patted it, and the steady engine noise transformed into a loud, metallic purr. "See?"

"Do you think it's Kurikara's?" It was a logical assumption since he did just show up, and he famously worked with metal, forging swords.

"Yeah, but it looks really complex, so he'd have been there—" At the sound of a person's footsteps, Tsuzuki whirled around getting between the threat and Hisoka, paper charm up. Though the bruise was gone from his neck and his crushed throat had healed, he wasn't going to take any chances.

A dark-skinned woman in a rumpled toga held her hands up, managing a cordial tone, if demanding, as she looked away from him politely. "Please, I only wish to speak with Hisoka."

Tsuzuki blinked at her in surprise, lowering the fuda, and stepped aside. The last time he'd seen her he'd been trying to strangle her.

"Teiko?" Hisoka sounded surprised. He thought she had already gone back to Mount Koho.

"Good morrow to you, Hisoka." She half-curtsied, half-bowed. "I'm sorry that I had to break my solemn vow to you. I was not able to protect you nor was I capable of ever respecting your... partner when I found out the truth," she said censoring the various insults she had used to refer to Tsuzuki.

"Um," Tsuzuki said like he was about to say something.

Undeterred, she continued, "As such, the foundational promises that held our union together have been broken. I must return to Mount Koho and act as a proper Queen should. There are dispatches I must make to other countries about the arrival of the two powerful, once-banished shikigami. However, I knew I should explain my failure and why I had to leave." She pulled the light orange scroll from the big pouch slung on her hips and a familiar strip of paper. "Here are the sprites' tasks for you."

"So, we're not married anymore?" Hisoka took them both and looked at the unmarked smudge on the thinly long paper.

"That is correct. Is there anything I can do to as penitence for my broken promise?"

Tsuzuki looked between them, but said nothing as this was a conversation between a former master and shikigami. As much as he wanted to apologize, it would have to wait.

"..." The King's premonitions had been fulfilled then, Hisoka thought. It was a little freaky that events had played out this way. Another thought suddenly occurred to Hisoka as he was looking at the paper slip. "Teiko, if you're really sorry, you should apologize to Tsuzuki for attacking him."

Her face twisted in disgust. "But I am not sorry for that."

"Humor me. If it doesn't erase your debts to the fairies, then—"

"I don't give a snake's fang about those odious sprites of light! I refuse to apologize to a filthy, halfbreed demon!" Her voice rang out over the empty courtyard.

Even though he had no idea why they were suddenly talking about fairies, Tsuzuki couldn't help the tears that formed in his eyes. So much for apologizing and, as much as he appreciated Hisoka's attempt to mediate between them, it sure as hell didn't look like that was going to happen. "Hisoka," he said with a watery tone, "you can't force someone to say that they're sorry. Besides, what good is an apology when a person doesn't mean it?"

The woman turned violently at the noise he made, the beads clacking in her hair. "Are you crying, demon?" she asked her mouth open in shock.

He winced, tears falling freely now, and wiped at his face. He wasn't sure why he was so emotional. He had attacked her as the demon he was the night before when she wouldn't listen to reason. Then he practically forced himself on Hisoka but was forgiven, and that was such a relief. He had been so, so happy to have someone as loving and understanding as Hisoka when he was allowed to make love to him under his own power.

However, after their nap, he had messed up again by telling Hisoka to stay put, though he was forgiven yet again, and then Touda was so angry and tried to kill him... It was just one blunder after another. Chuckling darkly, he bared his teeth at her when he meant to smile. "Yeah, I guess I am."

"Teiko, do what's right and apologize." Hisoka was getting very angry at her immature behavior. Honestly, he was scared that Tsuzuki might crack under the pressure.

The shock didn't leave her face. Her voice was incredulous as she said slowly, "Gods above, he is different. The King tried to tell me, but..."

"Derikaru's a nice guy," Tsuzuki mentioned offhandedly, shoulders hunched in guilt.

"You know the King?" She squeaked. Hisoka blinked. He had only known the Hei Hei king as, well, King. So that meant that Tsuzuki had to know the man very personally to know the name.

"No, back then he was Prince Derikaru. He suggested I seek out Daion to prove I wasn't just out to gain power... oh, sixty, sixty-five years ago?"

Teiko bowed her head in shame. "I see. If the King views you worthy, then..." She licked her dry lips. "I... sincerely... apologize for how I've treated you," she said warily, "Though, I'm still not sorry for attacking you. No matter the circumstances, you own Hisoka and twelve others. There is nothing equal about your contracts, and the harsh way you had to have contracted Hisoka will mean I shall never forgive you for that."

"I accept your apology, and I'm sorry too for scaring you like that. I understand that you were just trying to protect Hisoka. I'm sorry that it ended up this way."

Her lips puckered like she had bitten into a lemon and then flattened out at being reminded of her cowardice. Ignoring the honest insult to her character, she looked sternly at Hisoka. "Well?"

"See for yourself." He held up the slip of paper with all but that one pesky item marked off.

"Then, I must be going. If you're right, then eventually it'll fix itself." Frowning, she turned, heading towards the gateway. She had apologized only for Hisoka's and her King's sake.

"Teiko! Before you go," Hisoka trailed off.

She stopped."What is it now?" She said with no small amount of exasperation.

"The slave contract I'm under transferred from another person to Tsuzuki. Tsuzuki isn't the root cause of it." Hisoka swallowed and looked away uncomfortably. "After you left last night, we... ah... we cemented the bond. Before then, it was only partially completed."

The line of her shoulders tensed up, and she turned towards them with a grave expression. "Then I truly must apologize for my actions. I was wrong to assume that the both of you were blinded by love like my mother... and accursed father." She bowed deeply, turning into her winged cat form, and bounded away before either of them could respond.

"She really meant it this time," Tsuzuki commented softly, tears finally dry. "Her strong sense of justice will make a great Queen."

"If she keeps her temper in check," Hisoka replied solemnly crumpling the paper now that all its rows of tasks had been marked off.

"Derikaru should be able to keep her anchored with his wise advice..."

Nodding, Hisoka looked at the unopened scroll. He tried to slide a finger under the wax seal, but without any luck at opening it.

"What is that?" Tsuzuki asked curiously, feeling much better.

"Another task. I thought it'd open when I finished being Teiko's debt collector."

"You'll have to tell me about that story later." Tsuzuki, sensing a spike in spiritual power, shielded his eyes from the sun and gazed back to where they had been blown away. "It looks like Touda and Kurikara are heading out." He dropped his hands looking at Hisoka. "I'd go with them... but I would just hold them back."

"Yeah..." Hisoka touched where the knot on his head had been, which was still sensitive to the touch. "That's just the gap between us shinigami and gods, if even someone as powerful as you can't measure up to it."

"Master," the calm and collected Kijin called out to Tsuzuki.

"Kijin?" Tsuzuki looked surprised to see him. "What's wrong?"

Kijin's eyes glowed. "The Cloak besmirched with Innocent blood destroys itself, and a stolen power is returned to its Source."

Tsuzuki scratched his head. "Okay, I'm stumped. Any ideas, Hisoka?"

"That was supposed to mean something?"

Nodding, Tsuzuki frowned. "Someone's going to die, but what does the cloak represent?"

"Taimo is covered head to foot in a cloak?" Hisoka suggested awkwardly.

"Tenkuu!" Tsuzuki addressed the statue in the fountain near them, "Do you know where Taimou is right now?"

The statue stood silent for another moment before a voice emanated from its open mouth. "She's been nursing Tenko, who's fallen ill, in her suites."

"Let's go!" Tsuzuki took off running towards the only remaining part of Tenkuu that hadn't been blasted to smithereens, a confused Hisoka by his side. He was scared to death of losing little, sweet Tenko... why would Taimo do something like that?

* * *

Kurikara stopped suddenly as if he had run straight into a wall and then was snapped back by his right bicep and slammed into the ground sliding backward as if dragged. Grimacing, he looked up at the towering shiki from the ground. " Ō, how much farther is it?"

"Beyond Tenkuu's reach, forty meters to the East."

Cursing foully, Kurikara pushed himself up. He couldn't believe that even this far out into the surronding forest that Tenkuu could summon up a wall where they stood if it so wished. "I can't go any farther."

"Ah," Touda said unfazed by the sudden declaration.

"Damnit. Go get Ken. I can't do any ass-kicking like this." Kurikara successfully kept the agony off his face at stretching the bond too far and sat up. "I'll keep my eye out to make sure that bastard doesn't do anything."

With a nod, the black-clad shikigami sprinted back towards Tenkuu as Kurikara glared fiercely into the too-thick underbrush. He smelled a human nearby whenever the wind blew westerly. He had a feeling that that snake would run if he had any idea how close Dragon King was to him...

* * *

"We just received a messenger from Wakaba."

With 003 perched on his shoulder, Watari eyed Tatsumi from his computer workstation. "And?"

Without a trace of smile on his face, he adjusted his glasses. "She successfully sent a rogue shikigami back to Gensoukai, but also one that's a fugitive who should have been elsewhere and a restricted parasitic type."

Clucking with his tongue, Watari shook his head. "What a mess. I wonder if her Gate Keeper status will get revoked for that? She should have kept Terazuma out of Gensoukai."

"Chief has orders from EnmaDaiOh-sama for you to interface and help get the situation under control," Tatsumi spoke, without answering Watari's musings.

Staring at Tatsumi stonily, Watari's faux amusement evaporated as he was handed a sealed envelope he knew was keyed to his energy. "I see."

"The Chief will be awaiting for your sealed report to EnmaDaiOh-sama. I'll make sure Sachiya doesn't bother you."

"Goody."

Tatsumi left and Watari stared hard at the envelope in his hands. The gods had been digitalized with the invention of the computer, becoming living programs. Maybe they had been something like programs to begin with...? "Living ideas and programs... is there really the difference, 003?" He reached up and lightly patted her cooing head, frowning.

_Whatever is in this missive..._He grabbed his cold, disgusting mug of coffee and drank it back. Whatever was in this missive was about controlling the gods and keeping them out of the affairs of the living humans. "This will be my sixth time." And each time he wondered if a few seconds of sullying his hands was worth the special privileges...

From time to time, his inner-scientist speculated on how the gods were kept in line before Gensoukai was on the 'net... That line of thought led into research about the Gate Keepers, the dead-mikos who had the natural ability to cross dimensions and communicate with the gods. That position of responsibility had been created roughly 350 years ago and had been added to the a list of secretive divisions within Meifu bureaucracy.

The Gatekeeper division was still active, but only held nine members who each worked in a different division of Meifu. There was hardly any reason to root out rogue shikigami anymore, since so few of them were powerful enough to cause unnatural deaths, but they were on hand in case something severe had happened.

_You found rogue shikigami, huh?_It made much more sense then about Bon's father and the strange pregnancy of Bon's mother. It had been an attempt to gestate a part-god by the rogue, creating a loophole in the contract between the beaten rogue and the very first human of the Kurosaki bloodline. Perhaps mixing the two bloodlines had been the rogue's plan all along. What were a few measly centuries compared to the ultimate release of destruction and chaos that a part-god could unleash? The reason for the infanticide of firstborn females then was to prevent a child like that from being born. All of this knowledge had been lost in time, turning into superstitions and festivals honoring the Kurosaki lineage. It was kind of sad how easily humans forgot their own history.

His fingers wiggled beneath the missive. He was getting off-task, but every time he took a missive like this his heart weighed with dread. Sowing temporary insanity to manipulate politics was not what he considered fun.

He slipped his fingers under the corners and the lip lifted just like that as the seal flickered and broke. "I'm glad I have you around, 003. I would have gone crazy without you around to listen to me."

She flapped her wings and nuzzled against his neck under the fall of his long hair as he read the missive solemnly.

TBC.


	17. Freefall and Suspicion

_**Author's notes**: Thank you for reviewing~ I know not much happened last chapter. XD Thank you **EggDropSoup** for looking over it!  
_

_I left this chapter as a cliffhanger because it was the best stopping point. Hopefully the next chapter doesn't take too long to come out.  
_

**Warning:** Character death ahead! Be forewarned.

* * *

But I'll never let you go  
If you promised not to fade away  
Never fade away

-_Excerpt from_ "Starlight" _by **Muse**_

* * *

With a jerk, Ken's feet suddenly left the ground, pulled by his left bicep, and he hurtled straight to the ceiling. "AGHH!" The cavern echoed his scream back at him as the stalactites seemed to point straight for him.

There was a rustling sound that whizzed past him, and two warm bricks slammed into his chest, knocking the wind out of him as his arm tried to pull his shoulder out of his socket. "Hold on, Ken," Byakko's gruff voice ground out.

Ken sucked down burning air into his lungs, and then his body flopped too much to the left. Byakko shifted to catch him, and Ken plowed face-first into the hard planes of a buff Tiger-in-human guise.

Byakko let out a "Huah!" before they slammed into the cave's ceiling, and Ken was quite fine being plastered against a body rather than skewered on sharp rock.

"You know I crushed one when we landed. They're not as strong as you'd think," His voice purred in Ken's ear.

"Hey, you two alright up there?" Suzaku yelled up at them.

"We're fine!" Byakko roared down, making Ken wince at the ringing in his ear. "Whoops, you alright?"

"Yeah, something wrenched my arm good." Just as he was trying to catch his breath, the unrelenting force released his arm, and gravity took hold of him. He screamed again as he plummeted straight down.

Before he made a bone-crushing swan-dive, he was caught roughly by his ankle.

Suzaku laughed her ass off at the sight, splashing the water with an open hand. "Nice catch, Byakko!"

"Har, har," Ken grumbled unenthusiastically. Suzaku wasn't the least bit deterred in her continued giggling at Ken's pointed look, but then, he was still hanging by his ankle. It was hard to look respectable when his heavy dreadlocks were swaying in one massive clump, under him. He craned his head up. "Hey buddy, could you put me down? All the blood's rushing to my head."

"Sure!" Byakko floated up to the rock platform in the cave and then dropped down as he swung Ken upright like he was a limp doll.

Suddenly on his feet, Ken dizzily stumbled and fell hard on his butt. As the world tilted to lay flat and his ears stopped ringing, Ken brought his head up as he pulled himself up tenderly. Wincing, he rubbed at his left shoulder. "Ok. What the _hell_ was that?"

"Isn't it obvious? Kurikara met the end of his invisible tether to you," The biwa player said matter-of-factly.

"You're holding his leash," Suzaku's clarification echoed.

"Time-out." Ken took a deep breath, remembering how the dragon shikigami had talked about his being 'dragged' like a day ago. "If I'm to get what you're saying, I was about to plow to my death somewhere on the ceiling of this cavern because of my contract with Kurikara?"

"Yeap!" Byakko cheerfully agreed. "Good thing I'm quick, huh? Kurikara was in a hurry wherever he was heading."

"Fantaaastic," Ken drawled, wincing when he moved his left arm. He could feel the adrenaline and endorphins wearing offf. He drew another breath and gasped. _Friggin OW._ Ken thought he hurt his ribs as he lightly applied pressure to the area. He shifted and stretched his torso to double-check and then ended up bent over at the excruciating pain lancing above his lungs._ Cracked ribs, thanks a ton!_ Ken thought sarcastically at the space that Kurikara had once occupied. He felt sheepish at his disappointment at the silence.

"You should have caught him more gently, Byakko," Suzaku admonished sharply.

"Sorry, Ken... Let's get you patched up." The shadowed form lifted him up like he weighed nothing.

"Watch it!" A sweating, shaking Ken hissed out as his nerves practically cried Uncle. Damn, he really wasn't feeling so hot, and he was thirsty.

"Kouchin, can you strum up another healing song for this guy? I think his insides got squished, too."

Ken groaned. Could it be internal bleeding? That would explain the sudden thirst. He was less concerned about finally learning the name of the mysterious player.

"Certainly," the calm voice answered.

Just as the plucking started, Byakko stepped off the edge. Ken waited for the impact, but at the last moment they slowed and were hovering over the swirling water. As he floated, Byakko bent and set him in the water very gently. "Try not to drink any of it, okay?"

"What's wrong with it?" Ken slurred, feeling heavier the moment he touched the water around him.

"It's not poisonous or anything, so don't worry too much about that." The hands left him, and Ken had to kick regularly so he could float. His clothes were way too heavy on him and his chest burned like a mofo.

"You're not going to drown, are you?" Suzaku teased, arms out and floating on her back without any such issues, despite her obvious armor.

"Oh shut up," Ken grumbled. He knew how to swim!

Bright blue light intensified around him, and he felt buoyed from the music which brought an unusual rising of nostalgic feeling. It was like being held in his mother's arms when he had been very small. The pain of his injury still lingered, but it was no longer very important. Comfort wrapped him up in its arms, and he stopped moving. His head plunged into the water as his body went limp surrounded by the warm light.

Metallic-tasting water rushed into his mouth. It didn't seem like a bad thing at all, floating in this comfortable place, until a strong hand grabbed him by the back of his shirt and then around his stomach. He came up, hacking and sputtering reflexively, just relaxing. _Oh, yeeeah. Air is much better to breathe._

"I was only kidding, Katsujin Kenichi. I have no interest in making the Dragon King angry." The strong arm around his waist belonged to Suzaku then.

"It felt reeaaal nice," he drawled out.

Suzaku snorted. "Obviously you're done healing, if the waters of Abzu have addled your mind." Her voice was curt. "Byakko."

"Yes'm!" Ken was pulled straight up out of the water and sat down on the plateau again, his legs sprawled. Languidly, he laid back, groggily staring at the reflected lights. _Everythingisawesooome._

"Yeah, he drank some." Byakko sighed. "You heard me warn him, didn't you?"

Kouchin tittered lightly. "It will subside. Do not trouble yourself. What's done is done."

Squinting when the lights suddenly disappeared, Ken's eyes adjusted some. There was somebody dark and tall was blocking his view...

"Touda, what're you doing down here?" Byakko asked curiously. "What happened to your visor?"

"I'm collecting the human," the shikigami said tersely slinging the limp human over his shoulder like a heavy sack.

There was a splash, and Suzaku landed on the ledge, her sword summoned. "You! Put him down this instant!"

The black form exhaled shortly at her and adjusted his grip. "And if I don't?"

Suzaku attacked the side where she wouldn't have a chance of slicing into the human, but found a heavy fist slammed into her midsection. Her attack, she realized belatedly, had been all-too predictable. She coughed up blood as her sword clattered to the ground.

"Suzaku! Touda, take it easy on her! She's been hurt from that fight with Kurikara."

"You _damn_ serpent," Suzaku snarled.

"Phoenix, listen well. I only did as Tsuzuki commanded of me." His expression was unchanged as she glared fiercely at him. "Your anger is misguided. I was not to blame for Tsuzuki's despair." Throwing his weight behind it, he tossed her backwards into the lake of healing, and she splashed into the water loudly.

"Where are you taking, Ken?" The Guardian of the West stood in front of the only exit, arms crossed.

With an arm around the burden on his shoulder, Touda gazed steely at him. "To Kurikara RyuOh."

Moving aside, Byakko wasn't about to keep the human from his shikigami. However, Ken would need extra protection if these two got busy fighting that Hoso-what's-his-name... "I'll come with you!"

Suzaku squawked in surprise.

Without another word, Touda sprinted up the long staircase, taking every ten steps. Byakko followed swiftly after him, while Suzaku yelled at him to stay away from that traitor.

"Whazz goin' on?" Ken giggled as he flopped about, his left arm tugging only some in the opposite direction. His question was soon forgotten when the strong, fresh breeze tickled the backs of his ears, distracting him. Again, Ken giggled to himself as his eyes adjusted in the light and he found himself staring up at the ground. "Black retro leggings are totally in, broooo."

At the brief eyebrow quirk Touda sent him, Byakko said, "He drank some of Abzu's water."

As if that explained everything, the black-clad shikigami said nothing and continued on into the forest.

* * *

Tenko felt the ground shake under her feet again as it had done many times that day. She looked up at Taimo, who was her guardian when her father was unable to watch her.

"Are you still feeling unwell?" The voice exuded warmth from the cowled shikigami. When the shaking had started, Taimo had placed her black battle cloak upon her shoulders. Should the need for her to protect Tenko rise, she wouldn't have to waste time with defense.

"A little," Tenko murmured, doodling. "My head hurts." She had trouble focusing on the paper underneath her hands, but she had promised her brother that she wouldn't say anything about how sick she and Father were feeling. It was their secret.

"If you have need of rest, I may put you to bed and call on Kouchin."

Swirling color came out from under the crayons that Tsuzuki had given her ages ago. Her fondest wish was to visit the gardens right then with her Brother holding one hand and her Father the other. "No! I'm almost done!"

Taimo fell silent for the second time. There was almost an anxious way the child was creating her crude portraits. She certainly was no artist, but her love for Sohryuu and Kijin was plain to anyone.

The door groaned and buckled. Some creature's gray, stony exoskeleton clicked on the door frame as it shoved itself through.

As Tenko looked up to see who had destroyed the door, Taimo slipped into the fourth dimension. Time had no meaning there beyond the realm of left, right, up, or down. She couldn't control time, but she could see time pass much more slowly by visiting this other place... "Braahhhhtheerrrrr!" Tenko was running out the door in obvious terror from the giant beetle-like creature, who had started to tear into her things, scrambling the drawings everywhere.

Whatever it was, it did not belong. Using dimensional magic, she held it in place and took herself out of the fourth dimension to pierce its tough shell with her knife, her weapon of choice.

The knife slid in too easily as if... A terrible throat injury resonated down the bonds shared with her fellow contracted shikigami. Little Tenko looked up at her with wide eyes, green blood slipping from her lips. Mortified, Taimo jerked back, taking the traitorous knife from her ward's throat. Silently, Tenko fell forward limply, paralyzed.

"You're in league with that traitor, aren't you?" Kijin's furious voice washed over her as she looked disbelieving down at the knife and the bloodied front of her white dress exposed by the slit in the cloak. There was no excuse, no explanation that could remake what she had destroyed.

There was only one way to atone for her grave error. Turning the blade to her chest, she murmured, "Forgive me, Tenko." Tenko's expression was one of horror and confusion and sorrow as her eyes fixed on the curved blade as it thrust forward burying itself in Taimo's chest.

Her master cried out, but she had made sure the strike was true. Whatever had made her see what-was-not could happen again, and she was not about to let that occur again in this life. She ripped the knife from her heart as a cold sword sliced her neck. Kijin's normally calm face was bloodthirsty, smiling as her head hit the floor.

* * *

Riko skipped happily through the forest towards Tenkuu. She couldn't wait to see how happy her Master and Tsuzuki were! She'd been rooting for her Master ever since she felt how much he loved the other shinigami. It had been a lot more detached and ignored back then, but over time that had changed. Before he was summoned from the King Hei Hei's grand palace, her Master had been practically brimming with expectation and anxiety over his very strong love towards Tsuzuki of Twelve—er, Thirteen. She corrected herself. Her Master made Tsuzuki's thirteenth shikigami! Wow! Tsuzuki was really strong!

She stopped, sensing something amiss. The forest was quiet. There was something... She made to move forward, but found she was stuck. "Thousand Needles! Strike!" The sharpened spines were strewn in a large circle around her, hitting nothing. She tried to move and couldn't!

"Oh, what do we have here? A tender-looking riko..." A slender, blond human avatar reached a hand out and tapped a place in the air. The odd energy webbing glowed dark, muddy yellow.

Riko's eyes grew to the size of saucers. "You're Master's padre!" She frowned when the nasty energy rolled over her thickly and understood right away that he wasn't about to let her go.

"Ah, looks like I've finally caught something useful." He smiled. "Yes I am, and you'll send him a message for me, won't you?" A finger was lightly drawn down her cheek.

"Nuh-uh. Not happening! You're mucho creepy, hombre!" What if this man had been the one to curse his own son?_ ¡Qué asco!_ She shuddered in disgust.

The face leaned in close to the pretty thing. "Ah, but who said you would have any choice in the matter, my sweet darling?"

Riko swallowed hard when she couldn't switch out of her human avatar. Whatever that webbing was was keeping her in her more conservative state. Without the use of her limbs, she couldn't dance either. "THOUSAND NEED—lllah ahthhs!" Two long-nailed fingers dug into both sides of her tongue as the solid green eyes peered at her objectively. She was abruptly slammed by the feelings of this fiend's terribly hurt master.

_¡Oiga! How dare he!_ Feeling repulsed, Riko bit down and hard. This creep was no padre of her Master's!

"What an impertinent brat. A pity that I'll curse you. I think I would have liked to take you as my pet." A thick, bulbous tongue slipped out of his mouth then. At the sight of that and fangs, Riko screeched, ululating the back of her tongue as long as she had breath. Her flat teeth were still locked around the fingers that had kept her from summoning attacks. Then the slimy tongue slid around her neck, cutting off the air she needed to make noise.

Her fellow rikos might come to her aid, or might not. Either way, she was aware it would only delay the snake shikigami's cursing, which she had been warned about by the light-sprite's tales.

Culebra shikigami were cannibals, all of them!

She blinked sluggishly, completely helpless as she sagged into the hammocking web.

* * *

Hearing Kijin's accusation echo down the hall, Tsuzuki and Hisoka rushed in just as Taimo's faceless head rolled on the ground and poofed into black smoke that quickly dispersed. Kijin dismissed his sword and ran to kneel next to his sister. "Tenko!" He cried out, slamming a fist down. "That bastard Kurikara and his ilk won't get away with this!"

Tenko opened her clear blue eyes and smiled at her brother. She mouthed words, but her throat whistled and gurgled ineffectually.

Tsuzuki was devastated, a hand closed over his mouth in shock. All that was left of Taimo were once-white and red robes and a heavy black cloak.

Hisoka moved forward. "I can heal her."

Furious eyes turned to him, but Kijin stood up. "Please, do what you can."

Tenko looked up at him quietly, tears filling her eyes. 'Help me' she tried to say, but nothing came out. On his knees, Hisoka laid his hands on her, one on her forehead and one under her throat. He concentrated, and he saw the wound slowly began to heal.

However, Tenko's face had cooled considerably under his hand, even while Hisoka poured his power into her.

Her throat closed up, but even so she was dying. Her voice was gravelly. "Tell father... and brother... that I love them..."

"Don't say that!" Hisoka said angrily, interrupting Kijin's response. "It's not over!" Her tears were hot against her icy face, and then a large crack snapped over her jaw as if she had turned into living marble. Hisoka kept his hands there as he strained for deeper reserves to his ability. She was fading fast, and there was nothing he could do.

"Bye, by-" The small form crumbled into distinegrating ash under his hands, leaving behind robes as Taimo had.

He held the clothes in tight fists visibly shaking. He turned and looked at Taimo's robes that had a deep slash in the middle turned horizontally as if to slice between ribs. Hisoka frowned at it, hearing the knife in question clatter to the floor when he went to pick the robes up. He flinched when Kijin began to yell.

"That Witch cursed her! My father should have never trusted her!"

"How do you know if Kurikara had anything to do with this?"

"She was once his ally, a supporter of that tyrant!"

"She never once hurt Tenko until now!"

"That is because that bastard has finally returned!"

"Both of you!" Fingering the slash in the robes in his hands, Hisoka flushed with anger, stood up amidst their shouting. "Shut up."

His partner let the words he was about to say fall to the wayside, sorrowfully looking at the the two sets of bloodied robes hanging from Hisoka's arms, and looked heart-brokenly at his partner.

Kijin's eyes, normally pupil-less, had black four-pointed stars in the center, glaring at Hisoka. "That Witch murdered my little sister!" The finger pointed at Taimo's clothes.

"What the hell is with you? Do your words really predict the future, or do you make-" Hisoka's face spasmed and a very clear crack slipped from his forehead down the left side of his nose. He touched it very gently and felt ashy particles break away. Looking dismayed at the peach-colored powder between his fingers, Hisoka heard more cracking as his joints stiffened up.

"Hisoka!" An arm blocked Tsuzuki again, but the shinigami ignored it. Before Tsuzuki could wrap his arms comfortingly around Hisoka, Hisoka backed up stiffly, dropping the clothes between them. "Don't, Tsuzuki. Something's... something's wrong with me." Another crack appeared across his face from an ear and down his lips.

"Master, don't touch him!" Holding his robes up to his face, Kijin's eyes narrowed. "That Witch has cast a contagious curse on Tenko. She has unleashed a plague upon us!"

Losing feeling in a hand, Hisoka brought it up to see that it, too, had crystallized and fractured.

Tsuzuki murmured a quick mantra and "Seal!", and the glowing strip of fuda was tossed to Hisoka's chest. The energy blew through him, and he saw his hand break off under its course as he fell back, his ankles snapping off from under him. One of his eyes lost all sight and the other had a crack running sideways through the image he was only dimly able to see past. And still, he could hear the cracking as his organs solidified and ruptured.

"Hisoka, you're not allowed to die on me!" Tsuzuki's voice sobbed out.

He froze as the cursemarks flared to life, and then he remembered nothing at all.

**TBC.**


	18. Curlicues and Arrogance

_**Author's notes**: Thanks for the reviews. Yay, foreshadowing! The next chapter we'll return to Tsuzuki and Hisoka. Promise! :D  
_

_**Warning**: Language. Violence.  
_

* * *

Let's pretend that we'll be here tomorrow  
And I'll try for you to be a little more on time  
I know you need to say you know you've let me down  
But you haven't and it's hard to talk with people all around

Please don't say how proud you are  
Let's do the things we normally do  
I'll say see you later, you'll sing a line or two  
From your rebel songs sung out of tune

Don't hold my hand for longer than you need to  
- _Excerpt from "Let's Do The Things We Normally Do__" by **Dido**_

* * *

The moment the leash connected to Ken let up, Kurikara charged the last known spot that the snake had vacated. There was nothing but human blood staining the leaves on the ground. He knelt, touching it with the barest brush of his forefinger. There. He faintly sensed the half-blooded human through the sticky red stain, already farther south from where he was. It seemed that that bastard was waiting for him, since he wasn't moving.

He growled. Kurikara had expected for some time to meet face-to-face with Sohryuu's armies and frighten them away, but it seemed Sohryuu had been mistaken. There was nothing in this forest that was like an army, which was probably a good thing since that snake bastard was very good at cursing.

Heavy footfalls landed behind him. Surely Touda was not that noisy? Kurikara turned to see Ken across Touda's shoulder like a kidnapped child and Byakko standing quietly nearby. Startled to see his old friend, Kurikara tilted his head curiously.

"Kenichi needs someone to watch him since he fell into the water of Abzu," Byakko stated simply.

The Tiger's stare was hard, and the shorter shikigami didn't know precisely why. Did he have second thoughts about coming by himself? "I appreciate your help then," Kurikara said diplomatically.

"You seem... different from the stories."

"History has a way of painting the losing side in unflattering light. Everyone needs a bad guy, and I have enough faults to make a decent villain, don't you think?" Kurikara cocked his head to the other side with a thoughtful look. "I don't have time to dick around, so why don't you tell me what's got you worried?"

The furry striped tail swiped the air in surprise as Kurikara turned to Ken's lax form. The Dragon kept the wince inward, figuring Ken had broken some bones to still have bruises after being dunked in that tepid cave water. A curious trail of tiny mushroom shikigami were dancing and flaring their caps as they made their way to the forest. Kurikara couldn't recall what type they were.

"Between leaving the cave and finding you," the rich tenor began as he stepped closer, "both Taimo and Tenko have passed, and Hisoka is struggling to avoid the same. I don't know anything that could wipe us out so quickly... Tsuzuki is, thankfully, unharmed."

"I don't know either. Sorry, but I've got to focus on what I came here to do. I will offer my aid when I've finished that." Cutting off that conversation, Kurikara addressed Touda and held up his bloodied fingertip. "That human 'outside of death' is a Half. Wanna bet where his shikigami genetics came from?"

Nodding slightly, Touda said nothing, giving Kurikara a flat stare. Then he glanced at the mushrooms and quirked an eyebrow.

"Uh, are those mushroom shiki humming?" Byakko's voice was distracted by the tiny conga line flashing their multi-colored caps.

Ken giggled.

Kurikara paused, and then with annoyed 'tch' gestured at Touda. "Give that load to Byakko. We have work to do."

"Heyyyy," Ken's lax form was passed from one to the other. "Kuuuuriiiikaraaa," he whined groggily, "you _slammed_ me into Byakko."

Standing beside his human, the Dragon King placed his hands on the young man's arms. "Yeah, that was an accident."

"Anybody else see thooose?"

"The mushrooms?"

"Nuh-uh." His finger twitched to point up, and Kurikara looked at the curlicue wisps spinning like motes of dust, though there was no breeze. He smiled, murmuring 'release' to take up both of his sleepy swords, and then stepped away. "Be good for Byakko."

Looking around at the bizarre shikigami, Byakko looked positively puzzled as he laid a protective arm over Ken's back to keep him from falling.

"'Kay. Dun be stuupid or I'll beat'cha when I see yaaa." Ken's voice melded dreamy breathlessness with a mournful tone, sounding years younger, and then he started mumbling to himself again. The effects of the water hadn't worn off yet.

His shikigami sighed and leaned Futsu against his shoulder. "He'll be a handful. Just try not to spoil him." With one last fierce look exchanged with the White Tiger, the Dragon King turned in a southerly direction. "Let's go, O." He was almost positive that a trap awaited them. Why else would that snake lead them on like this?

As one, they gave chase like two bloodhounds homing in on the faint scent of blood splattered along the ground.

Not ten meters later, a great bellow erupted from the direction of Tenkuu and disturbed the remaining low-level shiki in the trees, those that hadn't run away after sensing Touda's presence.

_So, it had been a time-delaying tactic, not a trap_, Kurikara realized with chilled realization.

"We do not need Sohryuu to join the fray."

"Should I go?" The deep voice rumbled next to him, keeping even stride with him.

"No, only intercept him if he interferes. If we can beat Hosogyokumon before then, we won't have to worry about him."

"Understood."

Kurikara's nose flared in righteous anger. That arrogant bastard would finally pay with his true death for all the times he'd coercively placed a nexus upon others.

* * *

Still, floating where she had splashed down, Suzaku's eyes shot open as her consciousness swam to the surface. She had dozed after exhausting herself simply by yelling at Byakko.

Fear and rage thrummed inside her mind from Tsuzuki. Alarmed, when she found the places hollow where the Dimension Weaver and the little Ocean God were supposed to be, she swore. While her allies had died, she had slept!

And then realized as the wave of fear amplified why Tsuzuki was so much more distraught, almost brought to the brink of despair. The newest link was fading, barely hovering from death's grasp. "NO! Not you too!"_ Oh, Tsuzuki, please hold on!_

With a curse at her weak, damaged body, Suzaku rose unsteadily from the water and set her feet upon the landing. Removing the soggy outer-clothes and dropping them upon the floor with a wet slap, she unclasped the heavy armor and let the chest plate and apron drop with a rancorous clang. The light, tight linens that wrapped her form gave not even moderate protection. It would have to do. She was too injured to wear the rest and swing her sword if it was needed. The brief fight with an unfettered Touda had shown her limitations. "Kouchin, we must go at once!"

"I will attend to Hisoka." Kouchin already waited calmly, standing by the doorway, her biwa in her arms. Suzaku flew past her and up the steep incline in a whirl of hot wind, but the musician kept up behind her.

The Phoenix really wondered if they would be able to help in some way were Hisoka to die... Tsuzuki's emotions were conflicted and all over the place like that time in Enma's Sovereign Lands.

Tears burning at the corners of her eyes, she remembered trying, and failing, to protect Tsuzuki.

It was her nature to purify, and that poor human had been warped into some twisted creature by the darkest of sorcery. She'd thought Tsuzuki would immediately understand and forgive her like he'd always done when she disobeyed him... After all, he had called her to his aid no matter how faint his summons.

Yet, her actions had brought him madness. Long she had denied that moment where he stopped fighting the darkness in his heart, but she had returned to Gensoukai having done what she felt was right even at such a steep price. Regret and worry had clouded her mind for Tsuzuki, when he passed out and she was dismissed by default...

Then, Touda had been summoned.

They all had known why Tsuzuki would do such a thing. A mourning period had followed since as a consensus they had expected to feel Tsuzuki die in the worst kind of way with a hellfire that would rip his soul apart in its heat. There was no other reason to call forth that serpent.

When an exhausted Touda had returned two days later, she had caught him by surprise with a powerful punch laid him out on the ground.

_Only a tight hand from Byakko on her arm kept her from beating him until his bones splintered and his organs ruptured. "Suzaku, Master's alive. He only did what he did because it was what Tsuzuki ordered." When she jerked out of his grip to finish venting her rage, she saw the black-clad man sitting bent forward over his crossed legs._

_Byakko stepped in front of her. "Cut him some slack."_

_"Why do you defend him?" She snarled. "He almost murdered Tsuzuki!"_

_"But he didn't, did he? That means he was able to disobey-"_

_Harsh laughter started up behind her stubborn friend._

_"—him..." Byakko blinked, turning to look at the offender still sitting on the ground._

_With him distracted, Suzaku moved around Byakko. "What is so funny?" She growled at the serpent._

_"He escaped death only because Shadow surrounded him." His visor tilted up to look at her. "I would never disobey him, even if he meant to die."_

_Fury blinded her, and she lunged. He knocked her aside, jumping to his feet, and quickly gave up some distance between them._

_"Mark my words, Touda! Whenever I see you, I won't hesitate to cut you down! I will never forgive you for what you have done!"_

_He said nothing. That unfeeling bastard only turned and walked away, not even slightly bothered by her pronouncement._

She had blamed that damned serpent for trying to murder their Master, but the truth was... he couldn't disobey Tsuzuki. Tsuzuki's control of him was that deep. Ultimately, Sohryuu's decision to give Touda's freedom over to Tsuzuki's care had given Tsuzuki a method of suicide through complete annihilation, one without a chance of rebirth. And they had almost lost that sweet man because of her mistake.

When Tsuzuki had recovered enough to visit them in person and to show off his new work-partner, he hadn't forgiven her, neither inwardly or outwardly when she tried to apologize. He merely understood her feelings, for putting his life before that of anyone else, and reassured her. Perhaps the memory of self-immolation was so close, so raw that he couldn't bear to think of it to even muster a weak apology for his actions. Nevertheless, until Tsuzuki apologized, she wouldn't forgive herself. It was she who had emboldened his attempted suicide by going against his deep-felt wish at that time... to save that girl.

Shaking off the tears, she dropped to the ground at the top of the stairs to race towards the building where Tsuzuki remained. Flying in this form always tired her out, and she needed whatever strength she had recovered from Abzu's spring. She had no idea which Tsuzuki they would run into as she felt Hisoka's life slip even deeper into peril... Would Tsuzuki be okay or vacant and out of control again?

* * *

The wind was calming as it swept through Teiko's fur as she glided tree to tree.

Everyone needed to be aware of the war instigator harbored within Tenkuu's corrupt walls.

Since KuriaraRyuOh had escaped Fuyuu Desert to once again cast the First King out, would that son of Sohryuu, Kijin, foment war again? If such a thing happened with their world already so unstable... Chaos might fester and destroy them all. The wormholes hadn't subsided at all. The Great Mother believed it was because their realm remained cut off from their creators.

The last War had started over a matter of intellectual disagreement fueled by prejudice. Prejudice against Humankind.

The Celestial Emperor, a before-then unknown entity, had spoken through SohRyuOh, and explained that peace could easily be won if the power of shikigami, which had long been abused by the Divine Mortals, no longer fell into their hands. KurikaraRyuOh had respectfully disagreed saying their very existence had always been determined by Humans, since it was from them they had all been born and because of them that their realm flourished.

Yet even as the once-best friends formally debated in front of a large representation of all the nations of Gensoukai, it had already been done. The link between the Human realm and theirs had been severed through the Celestial Emperor's machinations, and a bloody War erupted.

After a thousand centuries of Kurikara's imprisonment, both had proved to be correct. No new shikigami had appeared in such a long, long time without that direct conduit to their fountainhead of creation. And because there were fewer lawless orphans about, the gangs had lessened in strength, further reducing the incidence of bloodshed and lawlessness, though pockets remained as shikigami were reborn into those bandit-infested areas.

So, as the Celestial Emperor predicted, there hadn't been true war in the time since. Of course, the fact that the mighty Dragon King and all his cohorts had been locked away may have dissuaded others from seriously considering a full-scale rebellion ever again. Yet, without that link, wormholes had erupted showing the true extent of disintegration their Gensoukai was facing.

Since then, the only 'humans' allowed within their sacred realm were not divine. They were mere shadows of the Humans-they-had-been, incapable of birthing new shikigami with their imaginations. These invading pests had been warped by the force of Enma, their God of Judgment, and transformed into tainted immortals who were designed to collect Human souls for the well-being of their Human realm.

These power-hungry immortals sought only the might a tame shikigami could give them so they could battle dark beings that feasted on those souls. Many young shikigami, freshly reborn from the War, had never experienced the excitement that a live-or-die fight could bring and naively contracted with shinigami to combat the boredom within their unchanging, predominantly peaceful realm.

And while the Hei Hei King had allowed the shingamis' sudden, sporadic invasions into their homeland, many of his subjects resented those Human Wraiths, who treated shikigami as beneath them. She herself had gained quite the reputation for sending shinigami away with their tails tucked behind their rears and gloried in her freedom. So, when she had arrived carrying that deceptively frail body to present him to the King, all had stared in astonishment. When she had done that, she had no idea that in the future Hisoka would change more than her perception of shinigami.

He'd broken through her own prejudice, and she had found herself wanting to help him grow stronger as he secretly desired within his heart. Despite her assertion to not get attached, she had grown very protective of that Enma-tainted halfling. Even now she regretted that she could not have done more for him.

All texts she had read about the Nexus of Thralldom told of its immutability. Once ingrained, it could neither be removed nor transferred. She hadn't argued with Hisoka, however. There were no reports about the effects on a Halfling, as such births were incredibly rare... so it could very well have changed ownership as he had insisted...

Teiko shook her head, shaking the regret clinging to her mind. She had to focus.

Besides the warnings she carried, there was joyous news for her fellow countrymen. Kurikara RyuOh, her people's hero, had returned as majestic and wise as ever, which he demonstrated when he spared Suzaku's life despite her obvious thirst for revenge.

Her people believed in the Dragon King's justice. That belief that he was innocent had never been justified other than through his countless, previous acts of Justice, until Teiko had heard from him within Tenkuu's courtyard about only two people being present when Byakko was killed. "—_and it wasn't me._" She believed him. It didn't excuse how he had hurt so many by going after Kijin, however...

If someone were to murder his best friend in front of him... it was entirely possible that that would have set him into such a fiery rage. Of all KurikaraRyuOh's faults, the worst was his legendary, short temper. He would not have gone after SohryuRyuOh's own son had he been innocent of the murder.

Teiko herself had been incredibly stunned to hear Sohryuu's own son named as the perpetrator of the murder. She had only known of the official judgment placed on Kurikara's head for killing so many and scarring the land for generations. But she knew why this was very dangerous information was kept from everyone outside the Celestial Emperor's circle of trust. Just the suspicion of his innocence would cause KurikaraRyuOh's remaining followers to raise their arms in his defense.

Furthermore, Teiko feared that if the culprit behind that long-ago murder was not discovered that something terrible would happen again. All the omens that had been reported recently pointed towards a dangerous future, full of pitfalls.

Sensing another's emotions, she stopped suddenly. Her hackles raised. A shinigami! She listened as he and a lion-type shikigami came walking under the canopy of the tree she rested in. She calmed herself, eavesdropping on the conversation beneath her.

"Your family sounds—yeah, tribe, whatever—anyway, it sounds tough."  
Curiously, the human was talking without any verbal cues from the shikigami, whose face was marked with the angled stripes of a long-gone tribe. Half of that group was still imprisoned in Fuyuu Desert and the other half had forgotten what it meant to be part of the powerful Kagan tribe having been reborn without any Elders around to tell them of their heritage... Had she escaped when Kurikara had found an exit and if so had she brought others with her? She doubted she would get much more information simply by listening to a one-sided conversation.

"Shinigami, you are trespassing on Hei Hei territory. Explain your presence at once!"

The rather ordinary-looking Human Wraith grinned crooked teeth at her, teeth which was clamped around a smoking bit of cylindrical paper. "Oi, Shungei. Thought you said hei heis were a peaceful bunch?"

Teiko's hackles raised in anger, assuming that the shinigami had come to take one of her countrymen by force, but refrained from letting her temper get the best of her. She needed to observe the lion-type shikigami since it was she who was, surprisingly, deferred to.

The human avatar with downward facing ears huffed and crossed her arms, stomping the foot that had a thin manacle attached to a silver wire that led to a matching manacle around the human's ankle. Teiko flicked an ear, her hackles dropping, as she waited patiently for a reply.

"Agh! You should've said something sooner!"

Snorting again, the woman looked to the shinigami with an upraised eyebrow.

He scratched the back of his head. "You're a pain in the ass, you know that? I think I liked you better when you didn't talk." Flicking the smoking white tip away from him, the human gestured towards the shikigami chained to him. "This is Kagan Koku Shungei, who was once the cheerleader of some runt named Kurikara. She wants to speak to the leader of the Hei Heis."

Transforming to her human avatar, Teiko crossed her arms at the ill-mannered shinigami. "Hah! She's been pressed into the service of shinigami since the great Kurikara lost the war! How do you expect me to believe that Enma, a clear ally of the Celestial Emperor, would allow her return?" Her eyes narrowed in suspicion staring at the slave. "Go ahead and tell me, slave, your claims to being _the_ KaganKokuShungei!"

With a laugh, the woman opened her mouth and showed the row of sharp teeth and the missing tongue. Teiko blinked feeling the flush of foolishness darken her cheeks. Those tribal marks... the missing tongue... she had miscalculated to her great error.

"She can't. See, she lost her tongue. I **did** say she _was_ the cheerleader right? Can't be one when you can't cheer." The shinigami was amused though he looked thoroughly annoyed. "Now, where's your King? Err—" He glanced at the Black Lioness. "Queen. Knock it off! How should I know that a woman's in charge in some shikigami's society?"

Despite evidence to the contrary, Teiko had trouble believing it. The King hadn't warned her of this in the slightest. First, Kurikara RyuOh had appeared from an inescapable prison dimension, and then Touda, his right-hand commander, had clearly escaped from Tenkuu's dungeons based on the fearsome power he had shown in destroying a part of that building. Now, his left-hand lieutenant Koku Shungei of the Kagan tribe had returned as well? Unbelievable!

"**I** am Queen of the Hei Heis," Teiko stated regally her hands on her hips and peered at the both of them calmly. "What do you need, venerable Koku Shungei of the Kagan?"

The human frowned, scratching his chin. "Hey, where's yer entourage?"

"It's a long and complicated story. Come. Attend me on my path back to the holy citadel of Quinoa. I will explain how I am outside the palace with nary a guard, if you so wish."

"We still got a long walk there."

Teiko started moving forward. "It all started a month ago. At the time, I was the High Guard Captain of the King's personal guard. While on watch, I felt a sour wind driving in from the east, an omen of great change..."

* * *

"Go now. Tell your Master all that I have told you, or make my son feel your pathetic misery as you sicken and die."

With a careless great heave, Hosogyokumon threw the young, half-dead riko into the bushes. Others had come at her cry but only their blood remained decorating his kimono in drying splashes. Weaklings had a habit of trying to gain strength by growing in numbers. A pity, since he would have a smaller pool of weaklings to make into slaves

He snorted in irritation when a hand gripped his ankle and sharp nails bit into his skin, and the mental jab flowed into him, _"Leave my son alone!"_ as Nagare gurgled.

With vicious force, Hosogyokumon simply turned and kicked the waste of space in the shoulder, feeling his collarbone give with a loud snap, but the hand remained where it was. "You still have life in you, swine?"

_"I will kill you myself."_ The pain had sharpened his mind to a brilliant focus, and it was all raging, murderous intent.

The fresh pain salved Hosogyokumon's mood, and the corners of his lips curved up. "Nobody can kill me. I have lived for eons and watched many die and be reborn. A puny human like you can do nothing." Bloody spit landed on the front of his shoe. "...other than make a mess."

Shaking the stubborn, weak hand off, he craned his head up from the pitiful sight lying on the ground below him. Three great powers were heading his way, their auras bleaching the colors out as they converged closer to him. The light blue one, was firmly under his control, the dark red one was that upstart, reckless dragon who had gotten lucky in their previous fight, and the last he did not know, though its hulking gray aura gave little of its personality away.

Every single last one of his enemies would fall as they had done before, and he would take over once again as the rightful ruler of this world.

* * *

Deep within Tenkuu, the silence and darkness acted as a meditation room. He had healed some time ago and awoken to the taunts from the growling building who had witnessed his treason.

It was important, now that he was closer in time to the Key moment, to find the critical moment where the astrologer would be of most use to pare off the possible futures he did not wish to see come to fruition. The millions of pathways had pruned down to a mere eight and their variations.

It was with great certainty that the Key had to survive in order for Gensoukai to weather whatever might come. Right that very moment, he saw that thread of fate curl as if about to cut itself short, even as he felt the boy freeze into a kind of stasis.

In the present, he saw Kijin deliberately leave Tsuzuki to almost-certain madness. He saw that cool-faced God of Thunder explain to Daion how Taimo had been a sleeper agent of Kurikara RyuOh and had been waiting for the right moment to kill their beloved Tenko.

Considerably sickened, Daion had bopped away to tell his innumerable family members in the rest of Tenkuu's residence, and from them the lies would spread like a disease throughout the countries of Gensoukai.

Rikugo smiled grimly as that most important thread of fate belonging to Kurosaki Hisoka flickered. The astrologer had made Tsuzuki very uncertain about their relationship to make sure the Nexus did not fully integrate with his Master. If it had sunk its talons in even a week earlier, Tsuzuki might have fallen to that cleverly-made virus as well.

It looked as if they would remain under the shackles of a god who had no business poking fingers into their affairs. The plague was set to destroy all memory and reduce them to an existence of hibernation where Gensoukai as they knew it ceased to exist, at least that was the intent.

The leylines glowed as they constantly stirred and shifted in the moment as free will changed the flow incrementally with either little or exponential effect.

It was this free will that would decide the final fate of Gensoukai.

His smile stretched as he felt the present shift again. A certain programmer's meddling was exactly what was needed.

Only lazy or weak gods delegated so many important jobs to those who held free will.

**TBC.**


	19. Source Code and Despair

_**Author's notes:** Thank you for the reviews, ladies! I have some chocolate bunnies to share with the both of you! *hearts* And the long-awaited chapter begins. It was fun though I was constantly worried about plot inconsistencies. :P This chapter's so looong! T_T  
_

* * *

When they finally come to destroy the earth  
They'll have to go through you first  
I bet they won't be expecting that

When they finally come to destroy the earth  
They'll have to deal with you first and now  
My money says they won't know about  
The thousand Fahrenheit hot metal lights behind your eyes

_-__Excerpt from_ "Invincible" _by Ok Go_  


* * *

Within the quiet emptiness of Gensoukai's primordial DOS space, Watari's fingers raced over the brilliant holographic keyboard. Having a computer in one's brain was a boon when one wanted to enter the programming space of such a colossal world like Gensoukai's.

Just moments ago, he had quickly inserted the complex lines of code into BlackCrow as Enma's missive dictated and had been taken off guard when that program took the construct off-line almost immediately. The other construct in the vicinity, SkyLark, was suffering ill effects of the contagious code. This was quite obviously no ordinary program.

Reacting, he brought down a new prompt window with a sweep of his hand. Since he'd unleashed a lethal virus, named KERES, into Gensoukai's server, he at least had the decency to correct his mistake, missive or no. Making a copy of KERES in a blank programming window, he scanned the line upon line of code to discover any weak points that a counter-program could exploit.

Out the corner of his eye, he saw JadeRabbit and AmethystRose appear in the virtual room. He hadn't thought to lock other constructs out besides the two that were already there, but he did so now. SkyLark struggled to continue working through damaged code. Sadly, the building errors would soon lead to a program freeze.

He only gave enough attention to the quarantined sector to see JadeRabbit integrate its code with SkyLark. SkyLark would not survive no matter the repairer construct's best effort to staunch the leaking stream of code and repair it. SkyLark had lived long enough to be a carrier, passing the virus to the repairer who attempted to save its code, and soon AmethystRose would catch it as well.

Immediately, Watari called up an isolated command window, disconnected from the server, to test the program, IASO, he had just written. Doing a rough fix of any errors that the window displayed, his mind was quiet in his focus. It took a few minutes that he didn't have time to spare to properly package the anti-virus, so it didn't inadvertently bug whomever it aggressively infected while gifting them immunity against KERES.

His attention shifted back to the main screen expecting the other two constructs to be toast and the entire sector's quarantine to be failing as KERES broke through Gensoukai's operating system.

That repairer wasn't. AmethystRose had been untouched by the virus despite its connection to JadeRabbit. With a grim expression, Watari quickly inserted IASO into the 'paused' construct. Somehow, all data-streams had stopped as if it had been placed in stasis, and it wasn't Gensoukai's doing.

As the anti-virus did its job, he selected JadeRabbit's icon to get a closer look at its coding and data log, and Watari's expression changed to puzzlement.

Another anti-virus program, Seal171923, linked to AmethystRose had been largely ineffective against the virus. In fact, by the log's reckoning, it seemed to have caused most of the damage by accelerating the destruction of the virus by halting JadeRabbit's ability to resist.

Scanning closer to the present, Watari found that the stasis culprit was a more passive, completely integrated once-virus that had locked all of JadeRabbit's data streams to prevent the fatal spread of KERES. As he delved deeper into the mystery, he kept a golden eye on the efficacy of IASO against KERES in JadeRabbit. For the time being, it seemed to be working.

He dug deeper into the code that created the 'passive' virus, which had incomprehensible webdings for a name. The virus' lines of coding was partially encrypted but what Watari could figure it was permanently designed to disrupt its host program's self-contained protocols, effectively hacking JadeRabbit so as to give control to an outside source-

While IASO did its job, Watari's finger tapped against his chin in agitation... On a whim, he pulled up JadeRabbit's basic information. There was no avatar picture, or even very many details besides a whole bunch of 'Unknown' labels, which was very unusual. Gensoukai was quite precise in its management of databanks. It lost some data over time but not this much.

His eyes traced down to the only pieces of information available: type of shikigami (Summonable), elemental affinity (water), and the startup date (10/18/1980 CE 00:33'11"). His eyebrows shot up. It was then that he realized why the information was so incomplete.

This was not a native shikigami. How could he tell? Well, he hadn't known the exact time down to the second, but he recognized Bon's birthdate, having given him a book every birthday since he learned of it.

And where Bon was, meant Tsuzuki wasn't far behind.

A few more invisible keys were tapped to get inside details on the other construct, AmethystRose. KERES wasn't interested in that one's data because of his 'shinigami' status. Watari had seen the deliberate line of code, which had effectively granted any 'shinigami' immunity, and was one of the key exploitations he'd used in the anti-virus.

He barely read the profile of the coworker he knew very well as his thoughts whirled furiously in his head. Coding was inaccessible to those with 'shinigami' status as a safeguard from insiders such as himself from hacking them and causing irreparable harm. They were foreign-but tolerated-bodies within Gensoukai's mainframe, guests without many of the benefits of the native inhabitants.

Which led to the very weird question of why 'JadeRabbit' _wasn't_ showing his shinigami status...

"Why are you on Tsuzuki's Summonable Creatures Permissions list, Bon?" murmured Watari with some humor.

Then it hit him. Rather than recognize Bon as a shinigami, the Gensoukai Server had embraced him as a member of its own. Bon had to be part-shikigami himself in order to have inadvertently tricked Gensoukai's servers! The ramification of such a discovery...!

"Ah," Watari uttered, again remembering details of that sensitive case. Certainly, if Wakaba hadn't flushed out the truth, then this would have proved that the local legend in that backwater village referred to a supernatural creature. It made all the more sense why EnmaDaiOh permitted Bon's entry into the Judgment Bureau as a shinigami even with his stunning lack of experience or worldliness.

Watari couldn't help his intense curiosity to pry deeply into Bon's code. As he suspected, there was something buried in his code, lurking under Enma's personally encrypted seal. Rubbing at his eyes, Watari gusted out a breath and closed the window of Bon's coding. Tampering with a seal like that recklessly could harm his coworker and he wasn't about to do that without understanding its exact nature.

Attentive to the ever-present script as it updated him now that it was no longer hidden by windows, Watari watched IASO finish off the killer-virus. What was left of Bon's code from KERES' attack made him wince.

_Well_, he thought gladly, _there's a benefit to being recognized as a 'Summonable Creature', though we could have avoided this in the first place if Gensoukai had given you 'shinigami' status like it was supposed to. _Intertwining his fingers together, he bent them back and cracked his knuckles. Wiggling them, he set to work rebooting Bon to his original state, using his backup data saved the moment he had stepped foot into the server.

Bon was lucky that he hadn't yet been killed or he would have 'respawned' without his store of memories. Had that happened, Watari doubted that Bon would have remained within the form he had been born.

Which brought up another uncomfortable reality. It bothered the scientist that he didn't understand why EnmaDaiOh set KERES into Gensoukai's servers. Why would the God of Judgment want to wipe out the collective memories of the shikigami? Doing so would reset their matured powers and make them useless to shinigami.

Shaking his head, Watari un-quarantined the sector. "Good luck you two," he murmured before leaving the virtual space. Obviously he had to go visit the Gatekeeper's Office down the hall to learn more about Gensoukai's history. Knowing more about that would probably clear up a lot of his questions.

* * *

Dry tears marked Tsuzuki's tired cheeks. His fingers tenderly touched the last bit of curse through the shirt on Hisoka's collarbone and right shoulder. It was the only thing keeping him from true death. He had watched it as little by little the light had faded away, starting from Hisoka's thighs and disappearing as it went up his sides and traveled a twisty path back and forth along and around his stomach and chest as if it were a fuse burning up...

The ground rumbled, cracking loudly.

"Master, the premises has become unstable. I cannot regenerate this sector."

He didn't care. All Tsuzuki could think about was how he would have to summon Touda to prevent him from... His hand curled over the glow that could be covered by his palm. Hisoka didn't breathe.

"Master. Go. N-w b-e-i-s-t-"

Chunks of ceiling fell as Tenkuu's voice cut off suddenly and the tiled floor crystallized into the same substance Hisoka had turned into. The wall gave as it dispersed into dust, letting in the hot afternoon sun. Gray dust showered him from above as the hole in the ceiling widened into an open-air veranda.

It felt so agonizingly slow. The more Tsuzuki gently touched Hisoka the more he crumbled, bit by bit into a Hisoka-colored dust that stained his fingertips and shook him to his core.

"Hisoka..." He barely recognized his voice, roughened by the inhaled dust and tears. "God, I'm so sorry I couldn't protect you."

He had felt like God's punishment for him was over with Hisoka by his side... He had been happy. _They_ had been happy. Tsuzuki had wanted to explore their new relationship more, but now, that seemed impossible. Hisoka was fading away, and from that place inside his head, he heard the demon howl and then a snarl, louder than before, cursed him. _"Damn you, Tsuzuki! Look what you've done!" _

Pressing his face against Hisoka's chest, Tsuzuki made a soft noise. Madness was creeping in. He could feel it encroaching on his control.

"_See what happens when you trust? They brought him into their stupid feuds! And now he's dead!"_

"No... Not dead. He's not," Tsuzuki moaned out, recognizing it from so long ago, the last time he had truly dared to love.

"_He's not dead, yet," _the voice agreed angrily, "_but when he does, make them pay for what they've done!"_

"No," he said more firmly. Then the floor gave too, and he hugged the too-light Hisoka to him as he allowed gravity to take hold and drop him into the darkness.

He had to summon Touda before he completely lost his mind, but he was being selfish. There was no other reason for him to remain. But... he wanted to hold Hisoka until there was nothing left of him to hold.

Yet... It was Hisoka's block that had held the demon in him back. Once Hisoka was gone...

"I love you, Hisoka..." He breathed out softly as the cold wind blew past them as they fell, the light dimming far above them. Closing his eyes, he gathered focus to start summoning. The demon, which had always been him, howled, _"YOU STUPID FOOL!"_

And they stopped their descent just like that. Always, his self-preservation prevented him from doing too much harm.

"Of the thirteen gods that-"

"_You feel his soul."_

"Protect me-"

"_Do you love him so little?"_

"I beseech thee-"

"_Touda's flames will consume it!"_

The eerie glow faded as a sob caught in his throat.

"_His soul would be in anguish before you burn!"_

The power of flight let up, and Tsuzuki hit the uneven ground back first. Hisoka's legless, armless body was held to his chest protectively. Hisoka's soul really did occupy the shell of a body, still. The bond's soft glow was barely enough to illuminate the color of the silken shirt he was wearing.

His rage at the unfairness of losing Hisoka just as they had started was growing louder and louder, as if he were in a boat being pulled ever closer to an immense impassible waterfall, this time without his anchor. Setting Hisoka aside gently, he stood trying to think of his options while he could before the rage became too much. He paced. _"Are you really going to stay here and do nothing?"_

"There's nothing I can do! Kijin said it was a plague. If Kouchin comes, she'd die too!"

_"You know there's another way... It would save him, like it saved-"_

"No." Tsuzuki kept pacing, but tucked his hands under his arms getting chilled at the thought. "I won't do it."

_"You could save him with a Contract. Then he'd be yours forever..."_

He shook his head. He'd tried it once, just once. That had been bad, when the Demon Slayers had come to kill him and take Ruka's peaceful soul into custody. The end result had been horrifying.

And there would be no do-overs of that. He would make sure of it. He deliberately moved away from Hisoka even as his panic reared up. _"GO BACK TO HIM NOW!"_ came the dark bellow, and he wanted to, but...

The bond was so tenuous, so delicate. As he accepted that Hisoka was nearly gone, he felt like someone had scooped his insides out and was feasting on his guts.

Closing his eyes, Tsuzuki headed away, the lack of light no impediment to him. This was where he was meant to be. He shouldn't have allowed Hisoka to get so close in the first place. He should have burned that night in Kyoto.

This darkness would forever remain around him and he would wander aimlessly knowing he would never be able to escape it.

As if on cue, a great red light erupted from behind him.

He turned slowly around. Barely able to make out Hisoka's now-floating bust, behind spread fingers Tsuzuki stared in disbelief. Dust billowed back to the half-torso in the bright light and reformed into limbs under the shirt remaining on Hisoka. The light paled to white as the torso became a perfectly whole body. Then its craggy surface softened into pale skin, and his soft hair shifted down. Hisoka's body floated for a few moments longer and then was set down gently on the floor. The light winked out as if it never was.

Stunned, his mind regained quiet. Air dislodged from Tsuzuki's throat in a heavy gust. Hisoka was back. Tsuzuki didn't care how or why as he stumbled back to the motionless body. Reaching gently, he touched Hisoka's arm hesitantly. He was afraid he was hallucinating, that he'd given into the madness.

At the contact, Hisoka spasmed into his first gasping breath. Tsuzuki could hear his heart thump, could feel the quick pulse thrumming in delicate veins, and could smell the sweat as his pores perspired.

With a soft cry of relief, Tsuzuki ran trembling fingers up his arm and through his very fine hair and across his darkened cheeks and lips and eyebrows. Leaning over, he cupped Hisoka's face so carefully, who blinked dazedly up at him, dark-blind.

"Tsuzu-?"

He kissed him slowly, savoring those soft lips, the tips of their noses brushing the side of the other's. He withdrew a hand from Hisoka's cheek to support his neck, lightly gripping short hair in the process. Hisoka was back. This time he'd be more careful with him.

From what was left of their bond, Tsuzuki faintly felt how Hisoka was dizzy from his fevered touch. God, it felt so good to feel alive again. He would never let anything happen to Hisoka again. A cool hand pressed against his chest, and Tsuzuki pulled back as Hisoka gasped for breath after that searing kiss.

Ashamed of his neediness and clinginess, Tsuzuki forced himself to back off.

Hands grabbed him blindly. "Hey. Don't move away from me now." He sat up, and Tsuzuki gave him space enough so they didn't knock heads.

Hisoka's thin arms moved to loosely hold his sides, and Tsuzuki knew his own eyes were heavy with tears as he swallowed. "Sorry, I..."

"It wasn't your fault." Hisoka scooted closer yanking his arms forward, and Tsuzuki fell against Hisoka's chest, his head cradled in his arms. The relieved sobs rushed out as he clung hard to him and pressed his face into Hisoka's shirt.

Hisoka held him tighter still, fingers searching along his face and neck and then burying themselves in Tsuzuki's hair.

"I th-thought..." Tsuzuki hiccuped as his crying grew noisier. "I'd lo-ost you."

The arms held fast, not faltering. His sense of Hisoka's feelings had become little more than a mood ring, probably because of what little was left of the curse on his body. Warmth meant love, but the tinge of coolness had to be unease from sitting in the dark.

"But you didn't."

Tsuzuki's breath caught again. "Yeah." Even if he was smothered as he was, he wouldn't move. He took another deep breath of Hisoka's scent through his smooshed nose and relaxed by degrees, feeling the need to confess. He turned his head up, so he'd be heard clearly. "I almost summoned Touda."

"..." Hisoka's fingers stiffened and gripped his hair tightly. "_Idiot_," he said softly, sounding like he was trying to check his anger. "Why would you do that?"

"I... I was afraid."

"Of what?" Hisoka didn't let up, and Tsuzuki's scalp ached in a good way. It helped him focus.

"Of killing my friends..." Tears stung in his eyes as the ache worsened.

"Your demon...?"

"It's..." Tsuzuki said shakily, "I usually have it under better control, but..."

As if just realizing what he'd been doing to Tsuzuki's scalp, Hisoka relinquished his hair-his whole head-suddenly, and Tsuzuki's head landed on a thigh. His lover sighed feeling relaxed as endorphins swarmed into his bloodstream. He was bone-tired... and hungry. Now that Hisoka was safe... His arms tightened around Hisoka.

"Tsuzuki?" Hisoka wiggled uncomfortably under the weight in the dark. "You're hugging me too hard!"

"_A hug?" _He scoffed. _"You won't leave me so easily..."_ he whispered. Tsuzuki's hands suddenly gripped his bare thighs.

"You...!"

Not giving a damn about dead guardian spirits or long-forgotten wars, he pushed Hisoka to the ground, burying his face near his uncovered groin. He breathed deeply as his prey's wiggling intensified. He licked a long line right at that juncture where sensitive skin became much, much more sensitive.

Yelping, Hisoka squirmed and shoved at Tsuzuki's head, managing to turn it away from his central focus. Strong hands wrapped around his thighs from underneath him and pinned him into place. He was nibbled along his innermost thigh, and Hisoka moaned, trying to keep that head turned as his muscles weakened under the assault.

"_You won't escape me!" _

Feeling his right shoulder burn and ache from the command, Hisoka snarled and red bolts of energy licked from him, lighting Tsuzuki only for an instant. It seared the erotic sight of Tsuzuki crouched between his legs, lips opened and a mere breath away from his hard-on. Then the image was gone, and Tsuzuki roared in pain and released him.

With his heart in his throat, an angry Hisoka blindly scrabbled free. He could sense that he was very close. "Don't you _dare_ try that again."

When he started to stand, an arm wrapped around his waist, and he lashed out again with his energy.

The arm jerked back. "_Christ, that stings," _Tsuzuki voiced, sounding delighted.

"And I'll do it again if you force anything again!"

"_Come here, Hisoka,"_ the demon commanded like he was a disobedient pet.

"Shut up!" Hisoka pressed a trembling hand to his right shoulder, only able to see the end of a twisty, glowing line under his fingers. He was thrown into confusion because no other part of him was reacting to the command. "Like hell I'll listen to you!"

There was a hiss behind him, a loud one, and, disoriented, he spun to face the threat.

"_You accept my existence, but..." _

Hisoka stepped to the left gingerly when he felt how close he had gotten.

_"I also smell your disgust," _the gravelly voice breathed out, blowing into his ear. He stepped away, feeling his face burn, right into the vice-like arms of a lean body. _"Is it so strange that I want you, again?"_

His brain engaged, and Hisoka torqued his body, fighting even as the hold grew tighter around him. "Do you want to get burned that badly?"

The chest against his head rumbled with laughter, and light fingers stroked the nape of his neck possessively. "_Such sadism isn't like my Hisoka, is it? You know I'd enjoy it._"

There was a great crack far, far above them and a speck of light opened up dropping chunks of rock around them. A flaming bird appeared at the edge, shrieking.

With an annoyed tsk, the arms loosened around him and Hisoka jammed his hands between himself and the chest. Hands groped down Hisoka's back and lower, kneading his butt, but Hisoka could tell the overbearing darkness was retreating.

Then Tsuzuki was back, emotions and all, and the molesting hands stilled against him.

"Hisoka...?" He took a deep gulp of air, uncertainly. "You didn't..."

When Tsuzuki stopped talking and felt guilty, Hisoka recognized he was about to change the subject.

"Didn't what?" he asked stiffly.

A new subject was on the edge of Tsuzuki's lips as relief poured into him.

Hisoka had really missed those strong feelings. "I know he's you, Tsuzuki. It doesn't change how I feel." With the dim light from above, he saw how clouded his partner's expression was. "You shouldn't repress your demon instinct completely. Not all of it is bad."

Tsuzuki looked pained. "Which part isn't?" He whispered incredulously.

The orange-red light from the phoenix bathed them in warm light, shadowing their faces. "The part that wants you to live. The part that wants to protect me. I think those parts especially."

"But I've killed so many..."

"Tsuzuki, sometimes things don't work out the way you wanted. That's life. It's messy and unpredictable no matter how much you try to fix it the way you want it. Sometimes, by fixing things, it turns out worse than you expected."

His lover stared at him with such a heartbroken expression, and Hisoka knew he'd nailed it. He wrapped an arm around his back reassuringly, not quite sure why he was still alive and able to comfort Tsuzuki.

A stream of hot air blew past them as Suzaku transformed to her human form with her flaming sword in hand, landing with some difficulty and out of breath. Kouchin hovered and set herself down gently, shortly after.

"Hisoka! Tsuzuki! You're both alright!" Suzaku cheered, but stopped short when she felt Hisoka's heavy worry and Tsuzuki's unsettled emotions. "Tsuzuki?" she ventured cautiously.

Kouchin strummed her biwa. Just a few beautiful chords spilled out into the darkness, but it seemed enough to bring their master back from the brink of despair.

He shook his head as if shaking off water with Hisoka stubbornly pressed against his side. "I'm okay, Suzaku. Thank you."

"What happened with Taimo and Tenko? Why are you two down here?"

"We fell." Tsuzuki answered hoarsely. "There was some-"

The music stopped suddenly as Kouchin let out a gasp. "My fingers have... stuck," she said for lack of a better descriptor.

Like a bird released, Hisoka flew to her side, despite Tsuzuki's attempt to grab him. _Not again!_ "Hisoka!" But it was already too late. Hisoka had laid his hands on her. He'd come back to life only because his shinigami healing ability had enough time to counteract the plague, right? There wasn't enough curse left for a second time!

Suzaku swung her sword to light where the two were crouched and let out a startled noise of her own. "A plague?" She glanced down at her feet at the mounds of dust just inches from her bare feet. She backed away from it, but flakes had begun to appear on her arms as well.

Well, if she was going to die like that, then she knew she should make the best of it. "I'm sorry, Tsuzuki." She looked somberly towards her master. "For the times I've failed you."

"No, Suzaku." Her arm locked into place. Tsuzuki stepped towards her and gave her a strong hug even as he could hear the chilling noise of her other joints stiffening. "You've never failed me."

"But the girl-"

"The girl...?" He thought only for a moment before he remembered. "...Suzaku, I'm sorry for giving you an impossible order. There was no other way to save her."

Suzaku felt the numbness travel swiftly, and she could no longer speak. In the flickering, dying light of her sword, Tsuzuki's beautiful eyes looked so distraught to see her succumb. His delicate feelings burned with helplessness, and then she went blind. _We will meet again in my next life, Tsuzuki..._

Muted chords began to play again, and suddenly she was aware of warm hands on her back, even when she could not feel Tsuzuki's arms around her. Hope surged inside her heart.

Tsuzuki's surprise and giddiness washed over her. "Thank you," he said to Hisoka over her shoulder. No more of his summons had to die.

The warmth that had begun on her back had immediately seeped into the numbness in her chest and flowed both up into her shoulders and arms and face and down into her pelvis and legs. Sight returned just as her joints unlocked.

Immediately, she dismissed her sword to hug her Master back, and the warm hands of her savior left her back. Suzaku had no idea that the slight boy had had that kind of ability.

She pointed her head in his direction, based off his feelings since it was too dark to see. "I owe you a great favor for saving my life, Hisoka."

"I don't want anything," came the soft voice not far away from her. Kouchin's music was livelier than usual even in the dark surrounding them. Hisoka's unease at the lack of light would be easy for her to alleviate. She summoned a smokeless fire and sent the flames hovering over their heads to give them some light.

"Neesan, I never meant to hurt you. I was being selfish. It wasn't your fault that I called Touda to me." Tsuzuki pulled back with a tight smile. "So, stop trying to beat him up over it, when it's me you should really beat up. Please let it go."

She couldn't help but smile back at him. With that permission, she forgave herself.

Her heart was light for the moment, but then her master's face fell when he thought of Taimo and Tenko. He pushed his face against her collarbone and clung to her. "I couldn't save them."

"Tsuzuki..." She wrapped her arms around him, holding her chin against his shoulder. "Tell me what happened up there."

"T-taimo..." He trailed off, sniffling. Suzaku knew his eyes would be filling with tears, so she pet his hair patiently. When he was too choked with tears, Hisoka answered.

"Taimo stabbed Tenko, turned the dagger on herself, and then Kijin beheaded her and claimed that she was a traitor. We only ran in just as Kijin was destroying the body. But her robes showed a cut the size of the dagger that must have brought this plague." Hisoka's tone was heated.

_I just had this conversation earlier,_ she thought bitterly. Suzaku said coolly, "Kijin is to be trusted. Taimo has never been ardent in her allegiance to the Emperor."

"Kijin just appeared and made this random prophecy about somebody dying," the boy said bluntly. "His own sister was stabbed in the throat, and all he could do was argue with Tsuzuki about whether Kurikara had anything to do with it!"

"We all know Kijin's Words come true. That is his power as the God of Thunder." Suzaku stepped away from Tsuzuki, who stood there like a frail tree, eyes darting between them as they argued.

"Is it prophecy?" Hisoka asked doubtfully, "Or does he actually cause these things to happen?"

"How dare you slander Kijin's name!" She roared out. "He adored his sister. He would never bring her harm! You have fallen for Kurikara's slanderous accusations!" Their auras still had the lingering taint from being around that traitor.

"What are you talking about, Neesan?" Tsuzuki ventured in confusion when Hisoka didn't reply.

She was taken aback. "He never brought up his purported innocence?"

"What do you mean?" Tsuzuki's partner asked impatiently. "He only asked for Touda's help."

Now, Suzaku checked her anger, feeling a little confused herself. She thought for sure he'd at least spread his lies to as many people as possible.

Kouchin chose that moment to speak up, "I was privy to a curious conversation inside the Cave of Abzu. Kurikara's Human claimed that Kurikara RyuOh did not stoke the fires of war anew by starting the fourth and Final War of Burning by murdering Byakko, who had helped arrange the peace negotiations in the War Between Koryu Dragons, in cold blood. The human insisted that Kurikara must have been framed for that crime by Kijin."

Tsuzuki made a surprised noise.

"I think I would believe the one that's the incarnation of Buddha's Divine Justice," Hisoka said flatly.

"Tenkuu's memory bank cannot be altered! Without a doubt it was Kurikara who killed Byakko, and it was Kurikara who still had bloody clothes on when he was apprehended," Suzaku replied crisply showing none of the growing doubt in her heart.

Kouchin nodded under the flickering light when Hisoka turned nonverbally for affirmation.

"So that rascal contracted a human?" While Tsuzuki was interested in the politics of Gensoukai, any time he voiced his opinion about them it made his Summons angry for some reason, so he opted to change the subject to something lighter.

"He must have done it when he somehow escaped Fuyuu Desert. What difference does it make?" Suzaku huffed at him. "You're just jealous because he turned you down."

"I am not! The guy blew me off when I asked him about why he started the War. Because of what Kouchin just said, I think I know why I made him so mad."

"Funny, that you never mentioned trying to contract Kurikara, when you told me to stay away from him," Hisoka stated dryly, getting the irony in the situation.

"I was trying to protect you! He's known as a brilliant fugitive with a wild temper. I was worried he'd hurt you because of the long isolation there." Tsuzuki shook his head. "But then if I'd let you, we would have found out sooner that he wasn't where he was supposed to be."

Suddenly there was a lot more light shining down on them from above. Hisoka sneezed under the deluge of ashy dust.

"It appears this plague has infected Tenkuu," Kouchin surmised.

Covering his face, Hisoka jumped straight up, flying through the rain of ash to the surface.

"Hisoka, wait!" After a brief glance at his two shikigami, who nodded and encouraged him to go, Tsuzuki chased after him.

Suzaku herself let her legs collapse underneath her, so complete was her exhaustion. "Kouchin, please play some music. I don't feel like I could fly any farther until I rest a moment."

"I feel the same. What shall I sing?"

"Something strong."

The familiar strands of a heavy-handed healing song echoed in the vast underground area. Suzaku closed her eyes, falling into a healing trance sitting upright. Had she really been wrong all these years?

* * *

"Oh, boy," Byakko said, just as he settled Ken into a tree.

"Whaat?" The large, but practically weightless human mumbled intelligibly.

"You heard that roar?" Several bark chips sprang mechanically into the air and dive-bombed the forest floor. To what effect, Byakko didn't know. He only now understood that an inebriated human meant life would be randomly generated for no particular reason. "There's a giant blue dragon heading straight for Kurikara. It's not going to be pretty if they fight."

"Ah. Tha' Sohrryuu?"

"Yeah, that's him." He knew it wasn't much longer before they had to move again because of the 'pull' of the bond.

"'ey, Byakko?" Ken asked plainly.

"Hm?" The tiger looked down and saw what looked like a butterfly made of wood perched on the human's finger.

"What's this shikigami called? Kurikara told me that the only animals here are things to eat like cattle, fish, and rabbits. The rest are shikigami, and they all have a name. So, what's this one called?"

"I... haven't seen that one before, so I don't know."

"Ienobu."

It fluttered its wings in what Byakko liked to think was a pleased manner and took off.

"A bird could choke on wooden wings." Ken glanced over at Byakko obviously looking for feedback of some kind.

"A small bird...?" Byakko half-agreed dubiously.

A leaf detached from the tree, and gravity delicately landed it in the palm of Ken's hand. Suddenly it twitched and moved, coming alive with tiny spindly legs. Ken watched in fascination. "Did that leaf just..."

Byakko cleared his throat. "Yes."

"Spontaneously."

"Yes."

Flicking a braid off of his shoulder, Ken looked at it cautiously. "So, should I call you Mune?"

The leaf spread its legs out very far and then pulled them together suddenly making a shape that looked very much like a dumpling.

"Nah, didn't think so. I shall call you Shu."

It cricked at him and rolled to the edge of his hand, stuck to the side of it and rolled until it could go 'down' no farther. It plopped off and rolled down the tree in a similar way.

Snapping his fingers, Ken shook his finger at the sky. "That's why you told me to pet the motorcycle and call it Gusoku! You _knew_!" Suddenly the arm pulled off to the side, and he was pulled off the tree with it. "Agh!"

Byakko grabbed him and jumped across several treetops in the direction that Ken was pulled.

The human was silent as he took in the strange landscape around them.

After several more treetops, Byakko set him down. "You mean that metal dragon?"

He nodded.

"It's not a shikigami."

"But it's alive."

"It's more like a tool that reacts to life. Kurikara is a master blacksmith. His swords all have that spark of thought in them. You could say making metal life-like is a talent of his."

"Oh..." Ken looked up at the large, open sky. "You know a lot about him for someone who supposedly killed you."

"I don't have any hard feelings about it," the tiger in human form grinned," but it's easy to forgive when you've forgotten about it. Suzaku's the one who's got an angry bee in her bonnet about it."

"Are you like siblings or something?"

"No, Kouchin said we used to be lovers, but even if I'm open to it Suzaku's never responded to me. Makes me wonder what I'm doing wrong."

Ken winced. "Ouch, beaten by your past life's performance."

Byakko laughed. "I don't think so. I think she's afraid that she'll get hurt again if she gets close and I get reborn again. I've been told that I've got a bit of a martyr complex."

"I see why you and Kurikara could get along then. He does too."

Then, the human's arm lifted again like it was attached to a string.

Before he went flying, Byakko grabbed him, and they moved some distance in the direction of the pull again.

* * *

Rushing into the area he knew for sure the Half was held, Kurikara's body stopped short and hung as it was. He moved his head and saw the thin lines of energy webbing that he and O had been caught in. He still sensed the human, but- this was a trap!

O blasted through the sticky, filament energy web with a short burst of hellfire as Kurikara did the same.

Kurikara ventured closer and found a thick clump of hair used for the illusion's medium and plenty of spilled blood to act as bait. Kurikara frowned. Something wasn't adding up.

The shadow behind him didn't move or offer any observations of his own.

"This isn't like Hosogyokumon to set a trap and be elsewhere. What game is he playing?"

Sohryuu was still coming... it wouldn't be much longer.

"He is afraid he will lose."

He frowned. "Why would he be afraid of that? He's immortal." He hesitated. "Even chasing after him like this, I know I don't stand a chance in battle against him." The red-haired, one-eyed teenager turned his gaze towards O. "Is there any chance he'd know about you and your abilities?"

"Unlikely. There could be an alternative reason. If the human is immortal and this Snake is so dependent on his immortality in a fight..."

He blinked thoughtfully, pausing only for a moment. That bastard had always failed at strategy, so for him to use it so childishly like this meant...

"Then Hosogyokumon is afraid he can be killed?" The Dragon King had known that a child of a union between a human and a shikigami led to a halfling inheriting the parent shikigami's traits... However, to think that the shikigami could lose traits passed along? He hadn't considered it.

"Then, if Hisoka is also his child... That bastard's weakened as well." Crouching down, the dragon picked up a pinchful of long, blond strands. He let his eyes slide past it in thought and noticed that the dirt had been considerably disturbed a few paces away. Letting the hair drop, he surveyed the ground curiously. "If he can't go his normal route to take over the world, then what is he after?" It looked as if the ground had opened up... He asked sharply, "O are we beyond Tenkuu's reach?"

"No."

Kurikara's head snapped up, and he bounded across the ground, calling over his shoulder. "We must go back! He's heading straight to Tenkuu!"

O caught up with him easily. "And you determined this how?"

"Sohryuu is on his way to attack us _because_ old fang-face can control him! If he can control Sohryuu, he can control Tenkuu as well!"

"Your briefings need more work," O grumbled back. It was the first sign of exasperation he'd had since the restraints were removed.

"Hey, I was in a hurry. I didn't think that predictable bastard would change tactics!"

"Luckily, an escaping snake is not as slippery as an eel."

"What?" When O only glanced at him, Kurikara huffed. "You must be feeling better. You're making up proverbs."

O's eyes smiled, though his lips never even twitched.

"Anyhow, plan's still the same. You take Sohryuu and I'll go after that bastard on my own."

"Understood."

* * *

In the cramped underground tunnel, the exile grinned triumphantly. He'd sent that stupid dragon on a wild goose chase! This building was now his fortress thanks to his slave's command of it. Plenty of weaklings would be hiding inside of it that he could make into devoted servants.

He frowned when the possibility that his son's riko had died before passing his important message on came to him. He snorted. If that was the case, he'd arrange a meeting himself.

"So, how to lure my precious son to me?" he murmured still having to drag the bothersome, but quiet body next to him.

Tenkuu rumbled, "If it is Hisoka you seek, he is in the courtyard with his work partner."

Hosogyokumon stopped and laughed in surprise. "Wonderful! Tenkuu, make sure he doesn't leave."

He cackled. Everything was falling into place exactly as he planned!

TBC.


	20. Chrysalis Birthing

_**Author's notes:** Oh my goodness! XD Thank you for all the reviews. I hope this next installment doesn't disappoint! I offer you all curlywurly snacks! :D I'm breaking my naming convention on chapters for this chapter 20!_

**Warnings:** Some triggery moments. Implied and stated rape. Implied and stated child abuse. _  
_

* * *

I never knew  
I never knew that everything was falling through  
That everyone I knew was waiting on a queue  
To turn and run when all I needed was the truth  
But that's how it's got to be  
It's coming down to nothing more than apathy  
I'd rather run the other way than stay and see  
The smoke and who's still standing when it clears

_-__Excerpt from_ "Over My Head" _by The Fray  
_

* * *

Wind breezed against her bare back. Riko had mustered the last of her strength to gain two legs again. Her pot had busted, and that would have made hopping too unbearable with exposed root fibers. Her blistered, bloody feet were caked with loose dirt.

She had to let Master know. Not because of that one's command, but because he should be warned of the very real threat.

She saw the bright white courtyard ahead. _Just a little farther... a little more. I can do this!_

But it seemed she had pushed herself too hard with her injuries. Her next step left her lying on the cool tile, and she felt herself revert to her cactus body. Then with her stubby arms, she picked herself up, and dragged herself forward, unable to resist the command to obey scrawled hastily onto her body.

She felt he was near, her sweet, sweet Master. Her vision fizzled and she came to awareness again her arms sprawled out on the tile.

A shadow fell over her, and she flinched. "Child..."

"Ri-riko?" She said fearfully, not sure who it was.

Gentle hands picked her up, and the soft robes of the court astrologer enclosed her. The robes chafed horribly against her wounds. "My apologies that I did not come sooner to assist you." He covered her with the robe he usually held in his arm, shielding her from the glare of the sun.

The rocking of his arms lulled her to close her eyes and drift off, until he stopped.

"Tsuzuki," Rikugo said quietly.

"Rikugo? You're okay?"

"I have someone who needs healing, immediately."

"Hisoka's healing Tenkuu, but..."

"Perhaps he should stop before he tires himself completely." The robe was taken away, and the cactus squirmed in the sudden light.

Tsuzuki looked down at her, horrified and raised a hand like he wanted to help somehow. "Oh my God."

Riko could see her master from her position in Rikugo's arms. He was kneeling, his hands held to the ground, and his thoughts were on the mending and healing of the large complex. That he would offer to do something like that made her proud of him. She was incredibly sad to know how his immature heart would handle what had happened to her. As long as she could continue to live that much longer, maybe he wouldn't senselessly put himself in harm's way.

She didn't want to interrupt him, but her mouth opened with a mind of its own. "M-master..." Her voice was barely as whisper.

"_Hisoka_!" Tsuzuki's voice shot out desperately.

Hisoka's concentration snapped, and he blinked in a very unfocused way. Tsuzuki roughly dragged him up to stand when he remained kneeling. Her master fell against his partner as if the world had tilted to the side for a moment.

"Ma...ster..."

Tsuzuki had turned him around and helped him move closer to her. "Help her. Help Riko."

Hisoka looked at her in an unseeing manner as if he couldn't quite process what had happened to her. Then his focus turned sharply outward and he gave her a heartbroken, dismayed expression. "Riko! _No_..." He outstretched his shaking hands, gently placing fingers on tender green flesh.

She knew she was a messy sight with only part of a ceramic pot still clinging to the remaining dirt clumped to her root system. Her glorious needles were either broken or missing, and she oozed a jelly-like fluid.

"I've got to..." She spasmed and the ooze came more readily. She felt bad that she was making the highly esteemed court astrologer's robes all bloody. "I've got to warn you about... and tell you..."

"Shh, let me heal you. Please don't waste any more of your strength," Hisoka pleaded weakly. The worst of her aches were melting away as the cuts knitted together to prevent the worst of the bleeding.

"I'm sorry, Master." Dark green lines glowed to life under his hands. The wounds he had just closed, reopened and oozed even more. "I'm sorry... I need to tell you... it's not your fault..."

She'd been Marked. He didn't know who the hell had done it, but he'd make them pay. She was just a little girl! "Don't say another word! I don't want you to die!" He yelled at her, tears eclipsing his eyes. Her Master's partner looked so weary and sad that he placed a hand on Hisoka's back in support.

"No, Master... no anger... it weakens... your... heart..." Even though she wanted to live, Riko was glad that her Master had Tsuzuki's support. He needed that love and understanding so badly. She was also glad that he finally accepted it and no longer knocked it away. _Maybe our journey... was a success after all..._

Riko closed her eyes as she mumbled incoherently, and she let out a long sigh, her eyes rolling to the side. Hisoka stared at her prone self in disbelief as the tears slipped free. "You can't just give up, Riko! You can't!"

She no longer felt she could move, and his voice sounded farther and farther away.

"Riko! Riko!" His hands shook and clung to the robes swathing her, and more tears ran down his face.

"Open this, Hisoka. Before it's too late." The six-eyed shikigami lifted his other hand, holding out a familiar scroll. Hisoka last remembered that he had it shoved into the hem of his baggy pants when Kijin had appeared and given his 'prophecy'.

"I slipped between seconds to deliver these." Rikugo bowed his head, his expression serious.

Feeling Riko fade ever more, Hisoka snatched the light-orange scroll from him. The wax seal easily gave under his fingernail, and he opened it impatiently. At first the script was indecipherable, but the longer he looked at it, the easier it was to read. Tsuzuki moved his hand from Hisoka's back to his shoulder comfortingly as he read it out loud,

"_Namu Amida Batsu._  
Thou be freed  
From thine shackles.  
Embrace thy birthright.  
_Namu Amida Batsu._  
Release thy rage.  
Bring peace to thee.  
Cry out 'Assuage'.  
_Namu Amida Batsu._  
Thy power be uncloaked.  
Thou heal all infirmities.  
_Namu Amida Batsu._"

Hisoka stared at the short piece of scroll when he unwound it and found the rest was blank. He felt so empty with his tie to Riko growing ever colder. He looked at her translucent body acting more like a balloon than a living thing.

"Hisoka... Look. " Tsuzuki brought his attention back to the scroll.

Ink had begun filled the blank scroll. '_I was..._' it was written, and kanji had filled up the empty space along the margins of the scroll, framing the mantra. 'Raped.' 'Cursed.' 'Hated.' 'Unwanted.' 'a Monster.' 'not her Child.' 'Scary.' 'a Freak.' 'Shut in.' 'Shunned.' 'Pushed away.' 'Unloved.'

Unsettled, Hisoka chunked the scroll away as more words filled the page, dirtying the once pristine paper until not a clean inch remained. When it touched the ground, it caught on fire. It left him numb as he stood there and watched the words burned away.

Quiet, Tsuzuki remained a support while Hisoka's emotions fluctuated.

"What the _hell_ was that?" Ash was all that was left of the scroll.

"I think... it was a cleansing ritual," Tsuzuki offered quietly. "Try doing what it said."

Hisoka took several deep breaths as he centered himself, remembering the emptiness that his mind had when he was practicing shooting the bow.

Then, he placed his hands on Riko again who was no longer green. She hadn't said a word since she'd told him not to be angry. Now more than anything he wanted her to live. Hisoka yelled out, "Assuage!"

The pendant around his neck floated up, glowing, as his skin itched at the sensation of the necklace catching against it.

Gold light shrouded his hands and they burned as if he had grasped a hot coal, but her color became greener and greener.

Pain lanced through his arms and straight up his neck to arc across his temples, but he continued on. Nothing had hurt as much as the thought of losing Riko.

Memories flooded in of that dark night when he'd been summoned. He had nearly attacked Tsuzuki before redirecting to the threat beyond.

Other memories flickered by.

_'If you stayed there...' The grocery bag had slipped from his hands when he suddenly found himself frozen, locked in a gaze with his mortal enemy. Terror bloomed, but he had been unaware of that unspoken command. Surely as Muraki had been unaware that he'd given it. 'You aren't mad at all? Come at me, Boy. I know you want it.' And he'd flung himself at Muraki in a blind rage._

_'Wouldn't it be interesting if Tsuzuki was our prize to win?' Instead of telling that man to fuck off like he had meant to and rescuing his stupid partner from being molested, he was compulsively sitting in the chair across from him, challenging his living nightmare at a game of chance, of which he had only read. _

_'Sleep now.' He hadn't resisted, falling into those long arms. The last thing he had remembered was that wicked smile and pure white feathers. He had woken terrified and terribly alone, taking full blame for his foolish actions._

_'Come, come. Follow me, my doll. That's a good boy.' He had been drawn like a moth to a flame, when Muraki had appeared before him. His head had hurt as he **almost** recalled that night under the full harvest moon, not realizing he was being pulled into the web of a most dangerous spider. _

_"So, those seals have a use after all, Boy?" The doctor said softly against his ear after he had shoved Hisoka's hand against the freshly dead woman's body. His senses overwhelmed him then, the cold dirt under him, the cloying smell of the ever-blooming cherry blossoms accentuating the smell of copper, the man's deceptively soft hand touching his back. "I shall break them and uncover the true you..." The fingers dug in leaving a trail of fire where he scratched._

The scenes under the moonlight had seamlessly changed but now there was complete darkness.

_There was a tight wire around his throat choking him, and immediately he had known it was Mother. Though he couldn't see, he knew how maniac her eyes had to look then. How they flashed righteously without a word as she slowly choked the life from him like she had tried several times before with her bare hands. She had to be quiet though or those stupid oafs would wake up and ruin everything..._

_Gasping, he sat up, the blankets falling off his shoulders._

_"So, you've come to."_

_He stiffened, hearing a familiar voice and weight of emotions from behind him. Father._

_"What were you doing in that storehouse?" _

_He didn't answer. He thought it was obvious. Sunlight was streaming into his father's room from the garden beside it._

_"You have a room here."_

_"Monsters don't live in rooms." 'You monster!' The crack of a slap still stung Hisoka's memory even though the slap happened four years ago._

_There was a sharp tang of pain from his father as he remembered that first time his wife had struck Hisoka. Then it was pushed back under the carefully measured calm. "Your mother has been unwell for a long time. She doesn't mean what she says."_

_She means exactly what she says, Hisoka thought. "The villagers feel the same as she does. I don't blame them after what I've done." He looked down at the polished, wooden floor as his gut balled up painfully. _

_"The priest said that there's no chance of re-occurrence if we continue to visit the shrine every New Year's and Summer Festival."_

_He couldn't say anything to that. While it was true that the most freakish of his abilities was shut away, he'd felt nothing but heaviness and frailty ever since those visits. He'd never gotten sick before, but now he could hardly leave the bed, which made him an easy target. He held fast to his resolve and straightened his shoulders. "I'm running away to the city."_

_Slight amusement lit up in the graveness of his father's mood. "That's sixty kilometers away. Will you be going by foot?"_

_"That's what you should tell her."_

_The amusement died, when his father realized what he meant. "Where would you live then?" He had asked even though he knew the answer._

_"Where I was found."_

_There was silence when neither of them spoke. His father did not like it one bit, but the idea was easier to accomplish than the constant replacement of his servants to prevent his wife from bribing them. His father had thought that she would have stopped by now, when her son had regained a sense of normalcy. _

_Hisoka knew he needed a reminder of what she was capable of. "Mother gave me this last week." His small fingers peeled the high collar of his kimono down to show the thin red welt around his throat._

_His father had already seen it when the servants had washed him and changed his clothes, but the shock was the same. "Why did Keita and Jo not stop her?"_

_"I had to wake them up first. It was after midnight."_

_His father frowned unhappily. He had hired them because they were large men with a soft spot for children. He had thought that Rui couldn't have gotten past them. If his son had startled them so, it explained why they had resigned so suddenly._

_Hisoka tried not to get impatient with him. If he agreed, Hisoka wouldn't have to worry about poison-tipped needles hiding in his bed or clothes or poison in his food either. "If Mother stays, I must go." Father knew he was right._

_"It isn't proper." _

_It wasn't that at all. His father couldn't give a care about appearances like his uncle or the village elder. Hisoka knew this. What was really bothering his father was the fact that his mother wanted him dead and that eventually she would get her wish._

_"Then if I may suggest, Father?" At his nod, Hisoka continued, "Make it proper." He finally turned to see the Master of the Kurosaki household behind him._

_Father was sitting cross-legged. The breeze passed through the open shoji and teased his long blond hair that had been brushed and left down just that morning. He wore a brown, wheat-patterned kimono, and his dark green eyes were downcast in troubled thought. _

_He looked so young to Hisoka. It was probably because Father wanted to believe in the best of people, that a mother could never murder her own child. That a brother would never murder his newborn niece... Yet that horrible event had happened. And Father feared that his wife would manage the same... _

_Even though Father didn't have the benefit of seeing into minds like Hisoka could, he knew that what had happened once could happen again._

_Before Father looked up, Hisoka averted his gaze respectfully and waited. He heard his father run through the other options carefully again as if he could offer some alternative that didn't send Hisoka far away from all he knew._

_After exhausting his options, a meditative silence followed as his father shored himself up to go through with his decision without hesitation. Then, Father murmured joylessly,"Very well. I'll make the arrangements."_

_"Thank you, Father."_

* * *

Swooping in with claws spread and teeth bared, Sohryuu plunged headfirst into the fight aiming for the tiny, crimson-haired Dragon. At the last moment, Kurikara jumped aside as if it were effortless to evade. Sohryuu summoned typhoon-like wind to knock his prey back his way.

Meanwhile, he pounded his tail down into the ground, cratering the soil and displacing trees, and leaped after his enemy's trailing garments. His maw was open to eat his hapless enemy, who was blown back his way.

Sharp heels slammed into his sinous, scaly side, and that massive force spread over a relatively small area sent him careening sideways, narrowly missing the fluttering robes. Roaring, he swung his massive head down to see the muscular human form of Touda.

"_Slave, Kurikara is mine. Focus on the other._" The commands of the Voice were absolute.

Blankly he froze. Pain ignited when he resisted the command, until Sohryuu reluctantly contorted his long body away from Kurikara's retreating form.

Obediently turning to face his most feared opponent, Sohryuu hurtled himself forward, calling forth wind and sharp hail and spires of frozen water to aid him.

Hellfire licked up, and the attacks harmlessly disintegrated.

Sohryuu landed on the small form and tightened his claws to no effect.

Touda's jet black eyes looked up at him, a hand gently laid on a thick talon. Without a word, he turned wrapping his arm around Sohryuu's thick wrist. Then, Touda jumped high, carrying the heavy, struggling dragon behind him until Sohryuu was flipped upside down.

More frozen water attacks appeared as gale force winds tore against Touda. Then he dropped him and executed a drop kick to the dragon's jaw. When the splintered wood of trees and dirt settled, Sohryuu's body laid motionless on the forest floor.

Touda hopped up the branches of one of the remaining trees standing and perched at the pinnacle, gazing towards the marble white palace. He'd make certain that Sohryuu did not go anywhere else.

* * *

"You have family, Ken?" Byakko asked after they had exhausted many topics. They were bored from watching dust settled from where Sohryuu the dragon had rocketed straight into the ground some distance away.

"Y-yeah." Ken tore his eyes from the scene. "My parents and some aunts and uncles. I don't have any brothers or sisters."

"Sounds like there's a story there."

"What can I say, after I met Kurikara, my life completely changed."

"How?"

Ken grinned sheepishly. "I dropped out of high school and started working at different shops that worked metal. I've done welding, auto repair, millwork, clock repair, blacksmithing, foundry work, electrical installation, junkyard sculpting, you name it."

He leaned his head back against the tree trunk behind him. "It wasn't all Kurikara's doing. He was willing to just chill out for however long it would take before he was able to get home. When I showed interest, he became my mentor." A faraway look entered his eyes. "For the first time in my life, I was doing something I enjoyed, making something real with my own hands."

"And then what happened?"

Ken sighed, "My parents were pissed at what I'd become. They saw some punk they hardly recognized going from job to job. The last time I spoke to my dad he told me that until I straightened up, I would be dead to them."

"That's harsh."

"They wanted me to go to college, and be miserable the rest of my life at some job I didn't care about. Anyway, enough about me. What about you? Is life here very different?"

"Ah, the only ones who go to school after childhood are scholars. And me? Well, after I was slain, Master Genbu searched for my reborn form, found me, and brought me back to Tenkuu. Rikugo raised me as his own and taught me the world's history and reading and writing, but I had no talent for stars or fortunes like he has. So, when I was old enough, he sent me to the Tengu for training as a fighter. After that, I rejoined the other three Guardians here and retook my post as Guardian of the West."

"Hm." The human looked towards the white palace that smoked such a great distance away. "Isn't it weird we haven't moved in a while?"

A purple ball of light outlined with blue lightning peeked over the top of the walls. Then with a flash it exploded and caused more debris to shoot out of Tenkuu.

Ken gaped at the intense destruction. He'd never seen anything like it.

"Looks like Tsuzuki finally made his move."

Ken cranked his head to stare at Byakko's carefree attitude. "Tsuzuki?"

"Oh, right. He's my summoner and a shinigami."

"Does he have strange markings on his face and pointy ears?"

"Huh? No... Tsuzuki's taller than you with violet eyes."

"Ah."

They watched as one of Tenkuu's walls toppled over, and then the giant white dragon stood up again, coiled and ready to attack a figure garbed in black.

Ken was happy to only be a spectator.

* * *

Strangely, the Gatekeeper's Office was closed, its door locked tight. Watari returned to his lab, pondering how he would hack into their system to get the information he needed, when his computer screen turned on.

Watari immediately hit a button to simultaneously drop the metal shutters down over the windows and activated the electronic lock system on his door.

Someone was coming through the gate, possibly unauthorized. He suspected that it was Wakaba. Hopefully she had brought Terazuma back with her.

Sparks appeared as the screen glowed brighter, and then Wakaba hopped out in a slightly torn and dirtied priestess garb. No one else followed. The screen clicked off, and she spun around towards him.

"Watari-san! I need to ask a favor of you!"

"Yes?"

"Please seal all access to Gensoukai. Kuro-chan and Terazuma need a little more time to work out their plan."

"You know that means they'll officially be renegades, and I'll be your accomplice. We could all get in deep trouble."

"I know the risks, but this needs to be done. Gensoukai's been a mess since it's been transferred to a pocket dimension inside of Meifu's borders. It should have been protected by moving to such a stable place... but..."

"You want to know who we'll flush out by doing this. Is that right, Wakaba-chan?"

"Yes."

"Even with the threat of severe punishment?"

She nodded.

"A true scientist seeks the truth even in the face of opposition." Watari winked. "I'll do it. I too want to know what's going on." He sat down and pulled on his virtual reality goggles and gloves. Synching up, he dove back into Gensoukai's mainframe, his mind alight with the thought of dangerous discovery.

* * *

Jerking awake, there was upheaval within Hisoka with a heavy dosing of disbelief and anger. He tried not to groan. His body ached all over.

There was no way he had asked to live in that cramped, lonely place! Why would he have chosen to lock himself away like that? Wouldn't it have been better to have been sent away to the city?

But he knew it was true. His mother had tried to kill him a hundred times over, and he had grown numb from fear of death. He had been willing to do anything to get away from her but remain where the only person he had ever known to understand him.

Hisoka closed his eyes to the bright sunlight as confusion thrummed into him._ What did I do to make the villagers and my mother hate me?_

Even worse, Hisoka had known after he died of all the times he'd waited for someone to visit him and had felt bitter disappointment when no one ever showed._ Why did Father never visit me if he cared so much about me?_ In that one remembered moment, he'd felt a depth of acceptance and pride that could only be given from a truly loving parent. And knowing it made the the memory of the hospital worse.

To top off that bundle of joy, Hisoka had learned he'd been controlled by Muraki's subconscious yearnings, too. But it didn't make him feel any better about his past encounters...

_What else have I forgotten because of this curse?_ He opened his eyes and lifted an impossibly light hand to shade his forehead.

"Master! You've come to!"

Riko thankfully didn't pounce on him, but she bounced and danced in joy to see that he was awake. He gazed at her, thinking he might still be sleeping. "You're okay?"

"Uh-huh! ... Kinda."

"'Kinda'?"

The girl plopped onto the ground next to him sadly, wearing Tsuzuki's Chinese-style silk shirt. She gestured to her bare arms to show the green lettering, looking so much like partially healed bruises, all over her arms and hands with lines snaking all over her skin. "I've been cursed. Even though you saved me, I'll die at the next sunrise. See? It says so right here." She pointed at the scrawl near her elbow that looked like no language Hisoka was familiar with. Then, she perked up, raising up her arms and flapping. "But! I'm all healed now! It'll be okay, Master! I'll be reborn, and then we can be friends again!"

"It is _not_ okay!" He was furious. So furious he was starting to see red even though his head spun with vertigo. He plopped his head back on a comfortable, content pillow someone had gotten for him and groaned.

Riko peered at him cautiously like he was going to lash out at her.

Gods, he had no patience for this, but he didn't want to make her feel bad for trying to cheer him up. "Riko..." Hisoka tried to sit up but couldn't. He was so tired that he had to force his eyes to open. This was too important. "Who did this to you?"

"He called himself Yatonokami. He cursed me because he wants to see you, his son."

Hisoka frowned as unwanted memories flooded into his head at that name. _Yatonokami...? That's just an old legend about the first Kurosaki who was cursed by_— Hisoka started. Hosogyokumon was supposedly his father, not that he'd ever consider someone he didn't know as such._ So, Yatonokami and Hosogyokumon are one in the same? Which means if Father held the 'curse' of Yatonokami as the head of the Kurosaki, then I_—

"That's not all he said, is it?" Tsuzuki's voice vibrated behind and under him. That was when Hisoka became aware that he was propped up against Tsuzuki's chest, leaning against him, and held in his arms. Hisoka had mistaken Tsuzuki for a pillow before, but unlike the time that happened months before he stayed put.

He still could not read Tsuzuki as deeply as he ought to, and he wondered if it had something to do with the remaining curse on his right shoulder. Once the curse had cemented the bond between them, he was barely able to feel his mood let alone his thoughts.

Tsuzuki brushed a hand over his arm reverentially, short-circuiting Hisoka's brain. "Hisoka...?"

"What?" His focus was so shot.

"Riko knows something about that creep who cursed her but she doesn't want to share it with me."

Hisoka forced his brain to get back on track. She was cursed by Yatonokami. Riko had a stubborn look on her face. So, Hisoka asked her, "What else did Yatonokami say?"

She made a sour face. "He said... he said he would remove the curse if you go see him right away two ri south of Tenkuu's Southern Gate. But I don't want you to do that, Master! He's no good, no good! He probably lied!"

"Even so, I won't let him get away with what he did to you."

"Not without me you aren't," Tsuzuki's arms curled around his chest and stomach, leading Hisoka's thoughts to distraction once again. "If this guy is actually Hosogyokumon, I won't let you out of my sight."

"But Master... Yatonokami is pure evil! He has to have a reason for wanting you to come to him! And, his master is in even worse shape than I was! You'll end up the same way if you go..." Riko dropped her arms down when she felt his resolve strengthen even more.

Hisoka wanted to go, even more now that he'd heard his true father had gotten dragged into this. "What did his master look like?" he asked anyway.

"He had long, blond hair and pale skin. His face was all puffy so I couldn't see his eyes, but his ears are shaped like yours. I wanted to help him, Master... He was so hurt and needed a clean bath."

_Father, you've kept a secret like this from me all this time?_ Reality harshly confirmed his suspicions. Still not feeling quite himself, Hisoka gently pushed Tsuzuki's arms off of him to sit up.

"Is he your dad? I mean, uh, the one who raised you?" Tsuzuki helped him stand with sure hands.

"There's a rite of succession in my family. That's probably when Yatonokami—I mean, Hosogyokumon—passes to the next heir."

Disconcerted when his fingernails had scraped against the ground when he stood, Hisoka lifted a finger to see why and saw a wickedly strong, curved nail bent over his fingertip.

He splayed both hands. Not all of his fingers had nails, and not all of them were the same length, but it reminded him of a circus freak show all the same. He stared down at his toes, at their complete normalcy because he had expected them to be weird too. But no, they looked the usual, thin and pale and human.

A wall of dirty blonde hair poured in front of his vision, as it came unhooked from his ears. "Why the hell do I look so different?"

"That scroll you opened, not only unleashed your potential... it was a powerful sealbreaker." Tsuzuki was standing in front of him, but he could hardly see him through the veil of fine hair.

Hisoka carefully drew his hands up to hold back the hair carefully and to pull it aside without accidentally scratching himself. He was more successful with his right hand. Regardless, the fine hair kept slipping out of his fingers and falling into his face. "So, all the seals I ever had placed on me were broken."

Tsuzuki frowned at him in puzzlement. "Why would you have seals placed on you? The chief said you were strictly focused in healing and defense. "

Hisoka tilted his head back gingerly, letting the hair fall back. "I don't remember."

"Because others feared your limitless healing, and some were attracted by its allure," came an informative voice.

Rikugo stood near them in fresh robes and raised a hand to pause their words, his other hand carried a familiar bundle. "I do not know everything. I've merely stated an observation based on Hisoka's star chart."

Tsuzuki once again wrapped an arm around Hisoka's shoulder comfortingly. "Where've you been, Rikugo?"

"I checked on the Daion family. Because of your intervention, Hisoka, they've only lost five of their members to the plague. I'm certain they will feel indebted to you." The astrologer leaned his head slightly to the side. "You must be fairly tired?"

"Actually... no," he replied, grouchy at the too-long hair that kept falling into his face. "I don't feel like I've been out for very long. But I'm not tired." He looked at the hair trying to figure out what he was going to do with it. "I don't know why I'm still alive, either. Or why only my shoulder has the curse."

"Master will surely answer if you would only ask." Freeing his own hair from the topmost loop, the astrologer chuckled, "Here." A string of leather was given to Tsuzuki, who reached over and plucked it out of Rikugo's hand. Sticking it in his mouth, he turned to pull Hisoka's hair out of his face

Hisoka flushed seeing Tsuzuki's bare chest directly in front of him and dropped both of his hands down at once. Fortunately, his nails didn't catch on anything.

Not missing a beat, his partner dragged both hands through his hair, lifting it and raking it into one heavy bundle at the back of his head. Taking the string from his mouth, he looped it around and around the bundle until it held in place. It felt so strange to have a weight settling onto his back, but at least it wasn't being a nuisance any longer.

"While I visited the Daion Family, I collected your quiver of the finest Tengu arrows and your pair of sandals." Rikugo offered the belt to Tsuzuki, who took it and slipped it over his shoulder. Then the astrologer bent forward placing a pair of leather sandals in front of Hisoka, before straightening. "Unfortunately, your trial isn't over yet, Hisoka." He bowed deeply to both of them. "I wish I could be of more assistance. However, there are other matters I must attend."

"See you, Rikugo," Tsuzuki answered, while Hisoka slipped the sandals on after a muttered thanks.

Rikugo left, heading towards Tenkuu's West Gate.

Hisoka kept looking away from Tsuzuki, still very aware of his partner's lack of shirt. "Well?"

"Well what?"

"What happened? I completely blacked out after you pushed a sealing fuda on me."

"You... crystallized and I told you that I wouldn't let you die. Your curse activated and kept you from disintegrating completely. The plague was eating your curse up until all that was left was that line." Tsuzuki touched his fingers to Hisoka's right shoulder, tracing over it even though it was hidden under his brilliant blue kimono. Then he dropped his hand down. "And then you came back to life. I don't really know why or how myself."

It was a good thing he had. Otherwise, Tsuzuki might have gone on a rampage or been burned to death by Touda.

"Master," Riko's voice cut across his melancholic thoughts, "Look what I got while you were passed out! Wouldn't you like them on?" Skipping about, Riko waved his hakama with its obi around like a giant windsock.

Embarrassed and a little annoyed, he tried to snatch them from her but he couldn't get a firm grip with his nails in the way. One even caught for a moment, and Hisoka felt as if that nail was going to get torn off. It certainly didn't help that she kept dancing away. "Riko, hand them over!"

She tossed them towards him, and they dropped to the ground when his fingernail beds bent back painfully after he tried to catch them. He crooked his fingers as he rode the pain with a hiss, and then he glared down at the resulting heap on the white tile.

"It looks like you can't put them on yourself with your nails like that, Master. You _could_ ask one of us to do it," she said imploringly.

Hisoka growled.

She stuck her tongue out, scooped up the cotton hakama and obi, and pushed them into Tsuzuki's arms. "You're it!"

Hisoka turned away. "I don't need help putting them on." Angrily, Hisoka stared at down at his fingernails, trying to work out how he would use them.

Tsuzuki looked down at the hakama in his hands. "Riko, did you bring the fundoshi?"

She shook her head. "I didn't see anything else... Why, is that important?"

"Well, no, he can just wear this if he wanted..."

"It's fine. I can do it myself." Suddenly hit with a sense of deja vu, Hisoka delicately plucked the hakama with the three fingers on his right hand that had short nails. "Would you turn around for a moment so I can get dressed?"

"Sheesh, Hisoka, it's not like—" Tsuzuki stopped at the pointed glare that was shot his way and nodded to the right with a sigh. "We'll be over there."

"Call if you need help, Master!" Riko bounced next to Tsuzuki, grabbed his hand, and tugged.

First taking a calming breath, Hisoka stared at the pants in his hands for a long moment. He turned them in his hands carefully, figuring out how to work around the obnoxiously long nails. With his left hand, he held the seam of the pants between his thumb and the side of his index finger. The right hand was easier, since his thumb and first two fingers were short. All his other fingers he had to keep curled back towards his wrists to keep the nails out of the way.

Bending over, he tried to pull his pants on and immediately lost his grip with his left hand. The flow of fabric fell, and he glared at it for another moment and then sat down on the ground. He regained his hold with his left hand and stuck his legs through. Luckily, the sandals didn't cause him any difficulty. When his left hand lost its grip again, he realized with an annoyed and embarrassed glance around that he was stuck there.

Knowing he needed help, Hisoka looked over his shoulder. "Tsuzuki."

His partner turned at his name and without asking helped him out. Then, Tsuzuki kept the hakama in place and helped him up again. Hisoka flushed, having the strangest inclination to run his hands up under Tsuzuki's bare chest while his partner's hands were busy. Thankfully, Riko dodged in between the two of them to get the obi wrapped tight around him.

Tying it off, she crowed, "Done!" Both she and Tsuzuki stepped back to grin at Hisoka.

"Looking great Master!" Riko flashed him a thumbs up and then held up a thin bundle of skinny papers with her other hand. "I also got your charms!"

"Thank you." He took them with the three fingers of his right hand, and then wondered where he was going to put them, how he was supposed to put them there, and how he was going to pull them out later.

"Stop worrying so much." Tsuzuki easily plucked them from his grasp, opened up the kimono to reveal the pocket on the inner kimono and slid the paper charms in. "See you can get it easily with your right hand." Slipping the strap off his shoulder, Tsuzuki also pulled Hisoka's arm and sleeves through the straps of the wide-mouthed quiver. The feathers of the arrows stuck straight over his right shoulder in an arc.

All the while, Hisoka couldn't help staring at his bare skin again, remembering how it had felt under his hands.

His partner kissed him on the cheek. "Yen for your thoughts?"

Hisoka glanced down Tsuzuki's chest again. "Shouldn't you find a shirt to wear?"

"I like the attention."

Scowling, he looked away. "Riko, change to your other form and give Tsuzuki back his shirt." When she reached down to grab the hem, Hisoka turned away, expecting as much since the needles would have stuck to the shirt. After Tsuzuki's shirt was sent flying and was caught, Hisoka glanced behind him and saw her fidgeting worriedly in her pot. "Now, you are not to leave Tenkuu's grounds, Riko."

"Awww, but Master."

"No, stay here." Before she could complain anymore, Hisoka looked over to Tsuzuki who had graciously put his shirt back on. "Tsuzuki, let's get going."

He was kissed abruptly on the cheek again. "I can't resist you when you get that serious expression."

Flustered, Hisoka tried to glare, but his groin jumped in his pants at Tsuzuki's mischievous look. "Cut it out. I can't focus when you do that."

Riko kept looking between them with a stubby arm held over her 'o' mouth.

Her master looked grumpy and her master's partner looked innocent, but she totally knew from her master's emotions that those two had definitely done more than cuddled.

_They're lovers now!_ She danced excitedly, while her master wondered what she was so happy about.

Turning his attention away from the dancing riko, Hisoka led the way to the Southern Gate. "Let's get this meeting with Hosogyokmon done—" The ground opened up under him and he found himself falling and then sliding into Tenkuu under the courtyard.

"Hisoka!"

Tsuzuki's frantic voice called after him before the brightly lit hole shut quickly like a trapdoor.

* * *

"Tenkuu! Bring Hisoka back here. NOW!"

Little Riko bopped across the courtyard. "I feel him, amigo! He's fallen really deep beneath here!" Then a hole opened up underneath her, and she fell, too, with a yelp.

"Riko!"

Tenkuu's voice rumbled, "I apologize, Master, but your orders are no longer my priority. I will bring your lover back as asked... in a bit."

This had never happened before. Tsuzuki was suddenly sick with fear. Whatever had taken control of Tenkuu... He suspected Kijin right then and there, whose orders were the only one who could supersede his own, besides Sohryuu's. Rage suddenly poured into him, and the tile crumpled under him. "I'll get him myself, Tenkuu. You know that. I don't want to hurt you."

"I cannot comply with your command at this time."

Tsuzuki yelled out a spell, directing his fuda at the ground beneath him, and allowed gravity do the rest of the work.

TBC.


	21. In Your Dreams

_**Author's notes:** Whee. Wow, did you know I was about to post a chapter 13,000 words long? Yeah, I chopped it in half. Figured it'd be easier to read. But that means the next chapter's coming out sooner than anticipated! :3  
_

**Warnings:** Triggery moments ahead. Implied, stated, and implicit rape. Hm. Creepy, creepy villain._  
_

* * *

I've been dreaming of dreaming  
About a stranger  
stuck in my skin  
I've been living in secrets  
Consumed, I don't want to make  
believe  
I've been dreaming of you  
I've seen in a dream within a dream  
I can't believe  
Until the choice is you vs. them; I won't wake up

_-__Excerpt from_ "Dream Within A Dream" _by Action Action  
_

* * *

It was pitch black as Hisoka continued to slide down the extremely slanted path. He kept his hands with their nails flush against his body, since the path was narrow.

He was slowing and soon his feet met level ground. He stumbled a bit as he regained his balance in the darkness and turned with his eyes wide open to try to see where he was.

He was smothered on all sides. Swallowing thickly, he brushed against something. A red pulse flickered from him, lighting the column he'd bumped into for a moment before plunging him in darkness again.

"Hello?"

His voice echoed a bit. He took a couple of steps forward, feeling broken rock and gravel under his sandaled feet. "_Unfortunately, your trial isn't over yet..."_

"Tenkuu, bring me back to the courtyard."

He'd saved the complex from a slow death, and this was how he was treated? Gods, how he hated the dark, especially when he could sense nothing. He paused touching the scar on his shoulder. The little it told him was that Tsuzuki was still alive.

"Tenkuu? Are you there?"

Nothing. He walked forward very slowly, his elbows in. He could hear every breath of his lungs and every crunch of his feet ricochet off the large space. The silence was that complete. Goosebumps raised on his arms and back while he forced himself to stay calm. If Riko had fallen in next to him, it would have been easier to act tough, but alone he was exposed and raw.

He paused when there was a faint noise in the distance.

The rasp of a chain and a wet gurgle startled Hisoka, and his empathy crackled into awareness. A week or so of Gensoukai had fine-tuned his ability because the emotions of the 'other' were acute and haggard.

And yet, he recognized them as easily as he breathed. "Father?" He stepped forward, unsure. Yatonokami had to be close, if the man who raised him was nearby.

Thoughts bowled him over, tinged with despair and helplessness.

_Go. _A thick feeling of guilt nearly suffocated Hisoka._ Leave while you are still able._

His father never spoke, not even once. Morbid curiosity had Hisoka stepping forward with his ability outstretched, and he was hit with a wave of agony.

Broken bones, crushed trachea, multiple internal ruptures... _Riko was right. Father's worse off than she was, but how can he still be alive?_ "I'm coming to you."

_Begone! _There was a loud, wet noise of protest, directing Hisoka's final fear that came with the solitary thought was total in how it affected Hisoka, but it only deepened Hisoka's resolve and washed away his confusion.

He quickened his pace towards the broken man. The past, when his father was made to believe that shutting his son away was Hisoka's wish, no longer mattered. The feelings of isolation and loneliness were but a fleeting memory of the past, better forgotten. Being dead primarily helped in that when he had met many others who understood his differentness as he understood theirs... but now more than ever Hisoka could show his father how much he had gained by becoming a death god.

Simply speaking, Hisoka couldn't leave his father like this, not when he could do something about it. He'd saved Riko from the brink of death, and Suzaku and Kouchin from that awful virus with his gift. Now, Hisoka would turn his ability to heal on his father.

The darkness seemed to fall away as he followed the proverbial nose of his empathy, and he steadily crunched forward.

_He will enslave you, and you will wish you had never existed._

Hisoka's own memory of being utterly helpless on the first case he'd been assigned with Tsuzuki struck him with sadness. The pity vaporized and a kind of peace settled in his mind, knowing he was doing the right thing.

_His objective has always been you. You **must** leave!_

The words that popped into his mind were tremulous in their strength, shaky in their confidence. That was when Hisoka understood how Tsuzuki must have felt walking into an obvious trap to help him.

"Let me help you." Hisoka knelt carefully and reached out with his right hand, keeping his ring finger and pinky curled against his wrist. His fingers rested gently on a swollen hand.

His father never attempted to hide the most hideous memories. Foremost were ones of being assaulted by the snake god countless times either physically, mentally, or sexually.

"You can't scare me away," Hisoka murmured softly, feeling a bitter sympathy with the older man. He'd always hidden this secret, guarding it by keeping a distance from his sensitive son.

_I never wanted you to share this fate._ Guilt and sorrow strangled his other feelings. What followed next were memories of restlessly searching for Hisoka in various clinics and hospitals whenever a full moon was absent from the sky. _I only wanted to give you a chance outside the village. It was my mistake to trust that doctor...!_

Battered down by the intensity of unconcealed memory and emotion, Hisoka had to use all of his focus to keep from getting completely sucked into his father's tortured mindscape. "Assuage!"

Golden light set the darkness ablaze, revealing the miserable state Nagare was in, whose eyelids were both swollen shut and whose jaw was broken. His yutaka was caked with dirt, dust, and dried blood, and a gunmetal gray chain was connected to the thick manacle around his left wrist. The pale white column behind him was thick like the Roman pillars Hisoka had seen in a book of archaeology.

The healing channeled swiftly up his arm. Bruises erased as if they never were, and bones set and hardened like new. Pain after pain winked out of existence.

Some fatigue threaded into Hisoka then, and he was only barely started. He at least wanted to get the worst of it, the punctured lugs, broken ribs, bleeding organs and the crushed spine. And little by little it was done.

Now that the inflammation had pulled away when most of his face was healed, scaly green eyes looked at Hisoka, scanning every inch he could see without moving. There were still mutilple fractures to contend with, but those calm, steely eyes that hid a compassionate personality witnessed the sweat rolling down Hisoka's face and the slight unconscious sway in his crouched position.

"No more." When he continued, his father's hand slipped out from under his, and darkness swallowed them whole once again. "You shouldn't—"

"That's too bad. I already did."

There was a stunned pause at his words, and then his father took a painless breath. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." Dark-blind, Hisoka stood up carefully. "Hosogyokumon, I know you're there. You want me? You'll have to remove Riko's curse first."

Steps ground into the dirt on the other side of the column and the chain dragged slightly on the ground as he pulled around. His father's fear of Hosogyokumon did not stop his father from standing and moving between them.

"What do you think you're doing, you useless _filth_?"

"He can't be chosen as a successor to the Kurosaki line. I disown—"

Hisoka felt the air displace as a crack of bone snapping resounded in the dark, empty space they were in. His father slammed to the ground and was stopped short by the clang of chain. "_I'll_ make that decision, swine. Do you think such puny words have any affect on the blood contract?"

He felt his father's feelings cringe as he expected more. "I disown—"

Something smashed against his father's face cutting off his words. Hisoka couldn't see what but he felt the resulting pain. "Shut up, you _worm_!"

"Stop, Hosogyokumon! Leave him alone or there's no deal." Hisoka reached for his father to heal him again, but was pushed away by the presence he could not sense well.

"_I_ make the deal, my dearest." The smooth voice was cold like polished steel, and the grip on his arm was bruising. "I will release your little pet from her curse and this piece of trash from his, if you agree to my contract. In exchange, your body and its abilities are mine."

"Don'," came a garbled moan with a ringing headache. "Don' do i'..."

"If you hurt anyone I care about ever again, then this contract is null and void," Hisoka said.

"Agreed." Lips suddenly pressed to his, and Hisoka squeezed his own lips shut in disgust. Chain links thudded dully to the ground. Something cold and metallic wrapped around the top of his left arm. Those smothering lips pulled back, and arms came around peeling Hisoka's kimono down and then squeezing around him tightly. "Hold still. This will only hurt for a moment."

Several slimy snakes wrapped around Hisoka's uncovered arms and slipped up the legs of his hakama, holding him in place. He pulsed vermillion sparks as suckers bit down, and he realized that those craggy, slick tubular things were more like tentacles. Even though he tried to thrash, he couldn't budge even a bit.

"I've always wanted to tell you how beautiful you are. I thought you'd understand that after I used that man as a proxy for my curse." As the shikigami spoke, fingers touched the last bit of curse on Hisoka's right shoulder, "but that _filth_ wouldn't go near you fearing what I would do to you." Bright yellow sprang forth illuminating the long fingers, but as they traced a new pattern around the simple curved line, the yellow darkened to a bright green. "I only wanted what was best for you... Hisoka..._my_ private delight."

His stomach flipping in revulsion and dread, Hisoka braced himself for what was to come next, figuring 'a moment' would feel like an eternity of hurt.

"Grow," came the sibilant whisper. Then the pain ignited, slipping down slowly from that shoulder and spreading across his torso, sides, and back. It was too much. He screamed. He was back on that hill with the cold, damp ground against his back and something tearing into him in a series of hot, painful thrusts, ripping him open like an overripe melon.

"My darling son, only care about me and no one else. That is my command. Do you understand? Our bond will never bre—"

"Unhand him!" A horrified voice yelled out, and the determined man swung a heavy stone against the Voice's back.

Interrupted, the Voice snorted derisively, and then a loud thwack followed by a thump sounded as the man slammed into the ground. He groaned, but didn't lose consciousness.

In the brief moment of respite, Hisoka saw violet eyes and a bright white smile. He remembered smiling back in the memory...

_Tsuzuki_, the name materialized on his lips. He loved him so deeply that pain coursed through him as the newly formed marks flashed green. He remembered the feel of his tender hands and lips on him, how it hadn't hurt like it did now.

Vermillion glowed when he jerked against the living bonds that tightened and bit down. His bones were melting inside of muscles that were literally on fire. At least, that's what it felt like when he couldn't—no, _refused_— to let go of Tsuzuki. _Tsuzuki! _With another jerk, he cried out in release.

This wasn't how it was supposed to happen. It wasn't supposed to be this way. What had compelled him to agree to this contract?

_Tsuzuki... I'm sorry. Tsuzuki...! _Hisoka couldn't feel his presence at all anymore. He sucked back a sob. He wanted to hate the Voice with all of his being but the hatred sloughed off and left him with only the blackest of despair.

"You are no longer the slave of this Tsuzuki Asato."

The thoughts of panic and desperation were obliterated, even when he held onto the nameless face. "I am his." Agony tore through, and he shuddered as yellow mixed with green and gritted his teeth, "And yours."

"_Love_ dares you to be foolish. Such human weakness has no place in you." A tongue lightly ran down his neck, which pulled away when Hosogyokumon tsked in annoyance. "I can still taste him on your skin when you made the two-backed beast with him." He nipped down on his ear. "Forget him."

"That will never happen," the words flowed out dully and disobediently as mustard green light cast a haunting glow on the surroundings.

The Voice bit down harder on his earlobe. His son didn't even flinch. "He must be very beautiful to have seduced you so... It is a flaw of ours. You eloped with that doctor who had dangerous beauty and invigorating confidence."

"What doctor?"

"Cheeky brat." The Voice sounded triumphant nonetheless, straightening his kimono to cover his shoulders. "Tenkuu, take us to his lover. Hisoka, you will kill him."

"As you wish," another voice that seemed to come from all around them chimed in response.

The teen shook his head, "Yes."

"You. Are. Mine." The suckers bit down harder. Something slimy and warm wiggled and pressed eagerly against his butt, reminding Hisoka that it had shoved into him before. "You will do as I say."

Fear choked the teen at the alien sensation, and the green overtook yellow at the direct command.

As the ground began to rumble, the dizzy man on the ground tried to stand.

Hisoka's fingernails began to cast an off-white light, and his refusing mind was shoved aside. The nails twisted together like taffy and pulled free from the tips of his fingers. The misshapen offwhite mass separated into two, stretched and bent and reformed until a bow rested in his left palm and a sheathed tanto rested against his side in the belt of his kimono.

The Voice praised him, and the fissure of light above them grew infinitely larger as the slick snakes retreated.

* * *

The moon was green like an algae-filled lake.

With his rear sore, he'd woken up in a muddy patch of soil that stained his kimono darkly.

There was nothing around for kilometers. Getting to his feet, pain jarred into him from behind. Cool, humid wind bit into his partly undressed form. As he pulled the kimono to close together, he tied the obi as tightly as it would go with shaking hands.

He could guess what had happened to him. Even though he was feared, there were some who found him pretty. He knew what happened to the pretty girl servants, particularly in his Uncle Iwao's household...

His stomach turned, and he fell forward onto his hands as he emptied his stomach violently, the ache in his backside a constant reminder.

Faint yellow blossoms floated down around him. Wiping his mouth, he settled between his bent knees uncomfortably. He was muzzy as he gazed up into the branches of the yellow cherry tree under the green moonlight. He shifted to lean forward on his hands to get comfortable, even so pain jolted him, and his skin started to itch.

He scratched and then caught a glimpse at his arms. Weird scarring crosshatched his skin and glowed an olive green. He had no idea where they came from or what it meant.

"Is there anyone there?" He asked so softly hoping no one would answer.

When there was no answer, as he expected, he clutched his arms to himself, holding in his loss of honor. He was alone and grateful for once. The only person around would have been...

Taking a deep, shaky breath, he stood up more gingerly than the first time and leaned his side against the tree trunk. It seemed to offer some small comfort to him even in the suffocating quiet. This tree always had. Though he could remember little else.

But, he wanted to know where all the buildings had gone because it was so disconcerting to see nothing but a green field and a graveyard. It was so empty and quiet... He tilted his head towards the marsh.

At first, he hadn't realized what he was hearing over the constant breeze of wind that blew across the viridescent field. A soft keening weaved to and fro, fading into the background before a higher pitch broke free of the humdrum buzz of the breeze.

With a renewed feeling of hope, he turned towards the marshes. He remembered a friendly face. "Maybe Asa—" He clutched his head when hurt bloomed suddenly and found himself out of breath.

When it passed, he looked around the lonely grounds, trying to recall what he'd been doing. Backside still sore, his hand automatically touched against the tree trunk.

He couldn't stay here out in the open. Whoever had left him there might come back. But where could he go? He leaned his head against the tree in thought.

Something prickled at his awareness. It was a name, but even thinking about it—He had to catch his breath again. _What's wrong with me? I can hardly think straight._

He looked around, hearing the keening again. That was what he was trying to remember. Despite its anguish, the soft sound was musical. It was coming from the marsh.

A kernel of hope lodged itself determinedly in his chest. Trudging barefoot towards the muted brown-greens of the marsh, he navigated the muddy plains and came to a figure hunched over something protectively with mud up to her waist. Her long, whitish hair was tinted green in the light and covered in the mud. There was a child in her arms, who was singing quietly.

_Were they stuck?_ Looking around, Hisoka saw a junk heap nearby and went to it. Carefully pushing away the rusted cans, he found an abandoned plank, halfway rotted, and yanked it out.

With that in hand, he went back to them and set it down to make a mini-bridge to drier land. The figure paid no mind and merely continued to coddle whatever was making that soft, mysterious whine.

"Hey, you." Now that he was closer it sounded more like a lullaby. "You there!"

The singing stopped abruptly, and the woman turned her head. An angular-faced Chinese man, not a woman, glared at him. "What are you doing here?"

"I was trying to help." He pointed at the piece of wood. Those blue eyes locked onto his uncovered arm, strangely lit up.

"What. Is. That." The man's voice was filled equally with disgust and pity.

Hisoka covered his arm up and stepped away, clutching the inner sleeve with both hands. Feeling so completely exposed, he turned and fled back up the hill. These people weren't who he was expecting anyway... not that he could remember without bile seeping into his mouth.

"Father, it's Hisoka!" The Chinese girl cried out gleefully behind him. "Let me down!"

Something wormy burst out of the hill and wrapped themselves around his legs. With a yelp, Hisoka found that his feet had sunk deep into the mud. He struggled in panic as he fell flat on his face and was dragged feet first back towards the marsh. Frantically he dug his hands into the soft murk.

Looking over his shoulder had been a big mistake. A giant creature of tentacles was pulling him closer to itself. Freaking out, Hisoka kicked as hard as he could, but it only aided the monster in pulling him in faster.

"Stormy Oceans' Current Repel!"

With a crack of thunder, an enormous crash of water slammed behind him and crashed over him, washing him back towards the hill. Coughing and soaking wet, Hisoka kept slipping as he tried to stand. A strong hand gripped his arm almost bruising—Hisoka threw it off, sparking crimson light. "Don't touch me!" He fell back into the mud, but with an angry yell he shoved himself up with bent legs and stood.

Slopped in mud and kimono weighing heavy with water, he headed back over the deformed hill towards the yellow cherry tree. It seemed that the snake god Yatonokami of myth had decided to make him its bride. The shivering Hisoka was so thrilled with the thought that he was about to puke again.

"Hisoka, you look hurt." The girl, who had come to his aid with that inexplicable power, walked next to him. "Want me to help you...?"

Without answering, he kept limping with his eyes on the tree. To her credit, the girl didn't pepper him with any more of those questions.

In silence, he reached the pinnacle of the hill before the mud even began to dry. It was the humid part of the year. Laying a trembling, filthy palm on the tree trunk, Hisoka pressed his forehead against the marigold-colored trunk as his vision blurred.

Children were often warned in his village that if they didn't behave they'd be tossed out into the marsh to become Yatonokami's bride. It was supposed to be a fairy tale, but this... He pressed his other hand to his mouth, swallowing down hard as his eyes burned.

"It's okay. He can't hurt you now."

The teen didn't lift his head. "Please go away."

The girl sniffled.

Hisoka wondered briefly if she had been tossed out into the marsh with him, but couldn't find any gratitude or compassion among all the numb he was feeling. "Go away!"

That did it. The girl began to cry.

"How dare you!" A indignant voice practically vibrated with fury.

"Father, don't! H-he doesn't remember."

With an annoyed tsk, the man said no more.

Hisoka only looked up when a shadow blocked the light from the moon.

There was a huge dragon with curly, green markings on its scales that glowed just like his. It had stretched out, wrapping its long body around the perimeter of the yellow cherry tree's far-reaching branches.

The teen stared up at the massive creature in awe. _If Yatonokami was real then other spirits and gods would be too, _he chided himself.

"I thank you, Kurosaki Hisoka, for providing a safe haven for us. It is wearing to fight him off all the time." The booming voice was gentler than before.

"You were the man who was holding the little girl." Despite his attempt to smother his child-like curiosity at the beast's magnificence, Hisoka pulled away from the tree. He'd heard about the temperamental beasts before in stories, but why would this one know his name?

"Kurosaki Hisoka, I realize this must be difficult for you to understand in your present state. However, we are both slaves of a terrible monster." The giant head was constantly moving, looking over the scenery.

"I get that you can be summoned, being a dragon and all, but me?" Hisoka crossed his arms suspiciously and then he lied outright. "I'm nothing special."

Cool anger poured into the dragon's voice. "Did you never hear the tale about dragons knowing lies?"

"..." Hisoka at that moment wanted to be anywhere else.

"You are much more than you know, halfling." With a huff, the dragon leaned in to inspect something on Hisoka's chest. "But it is surprising, I would have thought Tsuzuki would keep you safe."

Agony again, but this time amethyst eyes flashed in his mind. Gasping out, Hisoka grasped the stone hanging from a necklace against his chest, and his mind cleared. "He's somebody important to me, isn't he?"

The dragon nodded solemnly.

"My name is Tenko, Hisoka." The girl smiled sadly. "This is my father, the Blue Dragon Sohryuu, Guardian of the East."

At the sound of a far off screech, they turned their heads sharply. Tenko and Hisoka could see nothing over the giant likely-blue body blocking their view, however.

"Want to make flower chains?" Tenko asked, obviously trying to distract him.

Silently, Hisoka looked back in the direction of the marshes and the screeching noises.

"Oh! Let's sing, Hisoka!" The girl clapped her hands together excitedly.

"Huh?" Hisoka blinked owlishly her. "I don't know any songs."

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "I have... been... been here... befo-ore. But when or... ho-ow I... I can't... can't tell." She smiled encouragingly. "Now you try!"

He shook his head. "Why do you sing such a sad song?"

"Because it helps us remember who we were," she replied wistfully. "It's okay if you just hum it, but if you don't want to that's okay too." Then she sang it again, adding variation to the pitch with the same words. When she stopped, she turned to him. "Maybe you can sing something else?"

"I remember a strange song, I think."

"Oh! Let's hear it!" Tenko clapped her hands together attentively. Part of the dragon's sharp gaze was still outward toward the marsh.

Taking a breath, Hisoka let the words flow out. "I held... a gem... in my fingers. And went... to sleep... the day was warm. Our wings, they were a prosy... I said... I said 'twill keep..."

The sinuous dragon's body changed in front of him, morphing into a place of white tile that stretched on. Wincing, Hisoka saw the tall man with violet eyes again, saying something that he couldn't hear.

Like a mirage, the view in front of him changed back to their quiet protected hill, when Tenko started singing again.

The dragon remained motionless around them, listening calmly under the oddly colored full moon, and the night of hair-raising noises from the marshes stretched on as if the day would never come.

* * *

Tsuzuki tore through Tenkuu's tiles with blasts of charmed-power. As he expected, he was getting nowhere since Tenkuu relentlessly pushed him up one level for every two he destroyed, but that didn't make the sting of betrayal any better.

When he had to take a break to grab new charms from his pocket, Tsuzuki found himself in the courtyard again. He took a deep, settling breath to focus himself. Obviously, charging in like this was _not working_. He needed a different plan of entry.

"Master, your work partner will be here shortly. I suggest you take cover," Tenkuu said banally.

"Why would I—" Arrows whizzed by him nearly hitting if he hadn't moved.

Hisoka—no, the Bowman—held an ivory-laquered _yumi_ and nocked another arrow swiftly.

_Why would Hisoka aim at me? _An arrow struck his shoulder before he raised a barrier charm up. The other arrows fell uselessly to the ground. Hisoka's abnormally long nails had all disappeared, but his arms were covered in murky green light. Tsuzuki's heart shuddered horribly in his chest. _Oh God..._

"I don't want you to needlessly waste your arrows."

Hisoka immediately slipped the arrow back into its quiver and stood at attention.

A man that was the spitting image of an older Hisoka with long blond hair and cold green eyes stared hungrily at Tsuzuki through the shield. "So, this is your Tsuzuki Asato. He is more beautiful and powerful than I suspected. I praise you for exceptionally good taste."

Wanting to disbelieve what he had seen yet trusting his eyes, Tsuzuki took the arrow out of his shoulder and flung it to the ground. Had it struck three inches lower it would have pierced his heart, and he would have been dead a moment too quickly to be of any help right when Hisoka needed him the most.

_Hisoka fell into Tenkuu not that long ago! How could this have happened? _Shock slipped into dismay, and Tsuzuki inwardly reached for what was left of their bond. Hisoka's sadness and loneliness rolled into him. Judging by the dull look in Hisoka's eyes and the bond, Tsuzuki was certain that Hisoka was no longer present. Despite what he had gone through again, Hisoka held onto their bond tightly in defiance. If he hadn't, Tsuzuki doubted he would have felt anything at all.

"You're Hosogyokumon, aren't you?" His dark fury was blazing inside of him, ready to explode. His attack on Tenkuu had acted as a mere warmup, and adrenaline pumped into him.

"How clever of you. I can tell you want to know _why_..." Fingertips possessively brushed through Hisoka's hair, while Hisoka did nothing. "Once I break that Enma's hold on him, he will be a weapon to behold. 'He giveth and taketh away' as the humans would say..." The man leaned towards Hisoka with his mouth half-open, and a thin circular tongue, slick with saliva, licked Hisoka's reddened earlobe. "Mm, it is a pity you are in my way. I do so like the taste of demon seed..."

Nausea at the incestuous sight did nothing to dull Tsuzuki's anger. "Let him go or I'll—"

"'Let him go'?" Hosogyokumon echoed curiously, "'Let him go'? Did you not hear what I said or see how I molest him? Hah!" The once-exiled shikigami laughed, swinging a chain that piled onto the ground by their feet. "Let him go, he says. Hmph! Demon, I will make a deal with you. You could ask me for the favor of taking your lover one more time before you die. I wouldn't mind the show. In fact, if you ask nicely, I might even join in... What do you say?"

The futility of asking this creature for anything stung Tsuzuki sharply. Taking a deep breath to quell his inborn power so as not to hurt Hisoka on accident, he lifted his offensive charms up. He let the calm of having a goal to obtain fill him. He felt his _other_, swimming just below the surface like a shark drawn from the depths because of his rage. This time, Tsuzuki gladly let the bloodlust take over. All his worries and the uncertainties were pushed away.

"_No,_" his voice ground out. "_I do not share with anyone._" He would make Hosogyokumon _pay_ for harming what was rightfully _his_.

"No? What a pity. If you weren't in my way, I would have made a pet of you." He smiled. "Hisoka."

Bow slung over his frame, Hisoka sprang forward with his hair flaring behind him, pulled out his own charm, and shoved it against the barrier. He knew the weaknesses of Tsuzuki's defenses well enough that it wouldn't be long before it failed and shattered.

_Get Hisoka safely out of the picture._

Barrier failing, the demon dodged the knife that sliced out.

Laughter sounded from across the courtyard as he darted backwards.

Then it happened. Somehow Hisoka had moved faster than he could track, and the ivory knife made purchase in his gut on the left side. The obvious intent was a rightward slice to spill his guts on the ground.

The demon instinctively slammed an arm around Hisoka's shoulders and grabbed the knife-hand, pulling it forward to change the slash into a stab.

His blood splattered the pristine tile, and his bloodlust rose to a crescendo. The world slowed to a crawl around them, and he listened to the ominously steady heartbeat of his prey.

Their bond flickered weakly like a bird with broken wings, while Hisoka stood still in his arms.

_If he had stepped into the move and changed the direction of the knife, it would have sunk straight into my heart_._ He is resisting that one's orders as he had with me._

Feeling that his gut had knit around the knife, the demon chuckled. "_Release the tanto._"

His prey's left hand jerked to his right shoulder as the fingers went lax. The demon pulled the hand away from the handle and traced a thumb softly over Hisoka's cheek.

_Damnit, don't get distracted! _

_Quiet, Tsuzuki. We both need to know how he's fared._ Demon leaned in to capture a kiss...

"Kill him!" Hosogyokumon bellowed.

Snatching back control, Tsuzuki caught Hisoka's thin arm as it darted up with its fingers folded in. The palm had been centimeters from making contact with his nose and possibly ending their fight in a lethal strike. The outstretched arm was riddled with haphazard scratch-marks doused in green.

That light was overtaken by an eerie glow of red charged around Hisoka, causing Tsuzuki's hair to stand on end.

"Smite My Enemies," the Bowman commanded.

A split second later, Tsuzuki was blown back by the power of the lightning strike. He pushed himself up halfway, realizing why he couldn't feel his legs. There was a charred hole in his abdomen and a thick black streak and charred skin where the lightning must have passed down his left leg. His shoes were where he left them on the ground three meters in front of him.

In the back of his mind, his other whistled like a smart ass. _Impressive._

Dizzily, Tsuzuki looked up as Hisoka charged up again, holding onto the glowing white tanto that sparked with red electricity.

Tsuzuki chuckled. Hisoka had used that knife as a focus to help direct his attack. _Aren't you supposed to help me out?_

_You're doing fine._

_No,_ _I'm a sitting duck, waiting for feeling to come back to my feet._ Tsuzuki knew he wouldn't be able to eat hamburgers for a long while after this. The smell of his burnt flesh was too similar.

"Finish him!" came the lispy command.

Falling back, Tsuzuki shoved a hand into his front pocket pulling out a specially made barrier he never thought he'd ever need and stuck it in his mouth. Then he clasped his hands together in a series of signs. As the knife swung down, it met an entirely different kind of barrier, one that gave and pushed back fluidly.

"Smite My Enemies!"

Tsuzuki closed his eyes to prevent the light from searing his retinas and pushed more of his power into the specialized barrier charm. He felt the barrier absorb some of the power, but the rest rebounded back to the caster. Hisoka went flying backward.

Standing very carefully now that his nerves had healed enough, Tsuzuki dismissed the barrier, folded the charm, and placed it back into his front pocket. The tile was cool under the soles of his tender feet. The nasty burns on his stomach were still healing, but in a few more minutes he'd be fine.

Hisoka, on the other hand, while not burnt was very much unconscious.

The boil of blackness that was his other shuddered. Because of Hosogyokumon's sick games, Tsuzuki had had to hurt Hisoka. It hardly mattered that he'd thrown Hisoka's attack back at him.

Hosogyokumon was clapping. "What a show. You're hardier than I thought, Demon."

Stepping closer to that _thing_ who had done the unforgivable to Hisoka, Tsuzuki hardly thought when his power unfolded in a powerful maelstrom. His eyes had lost their pigment and gone dark as he set his murderous sights on his quarry. Yet, even then he was aware that his beloved was prone several meters behind him.

With a feriocious yell, he lunged forward, charms guiding his awesome power. Hosogyokumon was engulfed by it in a thunderous boom, and a cloud of dust plumed into the air.

For good measure, Tsuzuki unleashed more power, blasting away several times. He only stopped when someone set down behind him.

"Human, get out of the way."

Between pants, the demon bared his teeth and snarled at the single red eye looking up at him and yet staring him down in condescension. Tsuzuki raised his fuda at the new contender, but Kurikara merely caught the blast and deflected it in a hundred directions around him. The small figure stood, smoking palm still outstretched.

"Look for yourself how that _snake_ keeps his title of Immortal One," he spat.

Dry laughter crackled through the dust, and Tsuzuki turned to see that a figure remained. The man with long straight hair the color of dry straw brought his charred arms down as they shed the blackened skin and revealed new pale skin below it. "Ah, KurikaraRyuOh. So we finally meet one another once again. Still so angry over what I did to your beloved?"

Letting his larger sword float beside him menacingly and clutching the other in his right hand, Kurikara smiled coldly. "Let's settle this, shall we?"

A long spear shot out from Hosogyokumon's palm, and its shaft hit the ground defensively. "Oh, not right away. I want to enjoy this first. Hisoka!"

_Yumi_ nocked, the boy released a flurry of arrows at Kurikara.

Under the haze of his true nature, Tsuzuki saw no hesitation in Hisoka's beautiful, nevertheless relentless, release of arrows towards the newcomer, unlike when he had shot at Tsuzuki.

Had the larger sword not spun to strike them down of its own accord, they would have shot true. There was a dark look on the once composed face of the god of fire. "So you've cursed him too. It explains why this human is furious with you. Had he been a god, I doubt you would have remained standing."

This time a lightning strike of red was deflected into another of Tenkuu's walls without Kurikara batting an eye at Futsu's quick defense.

"Human? You speak of that demon-spawn as if he were anything but."

While the two gods exchanged thorny words, Tsuzuki quickly darted behind Hisoka and just barely dodged another lance of lightning.

Tsuzuki gritted his teeth in focus as he managed to plaster a seal on Hisoka's tanto-wielding hand. It quickly expanded into paper streamers and successfully encompassed around the weapon and hand, sealing its use. Tsuzuki turned tail and ran towards the gardens. Even without a focus, Hisoka could still pack a punch.

The sound of a chain dragging on the concrete filled Tsuzuki's ears.

Arrows whizzed by as Tsuzuki took a sharp turn left, and then dropped a whole slew of blank fuda papers on the ground from an inner pocket. When the Bowman came around the corner blindly, Tsuzuki sent more sealing charms at him.

Effortlessly, Hisoka rolled dodging the first and jumped to his feet to miss the second, but the third fuda struck him on his leg.

Dropping to his knee, his left hand went to his quiver and pulled out a sharply tipped arrow. Snapping off the shaft with his dud leg, Hisoka aimed for a main artery, while Tsuzuki was calmly standing with his head partially bowed and his fingers steepled with a new charm pulled tight between them.

The activated magic, inundated in the blank paper slips, caught Hisoka. Hisoka's arm was still raised to lunge for Tsuzuki's groin or inner thigh.

Finishing the spell so he would no longer have to be its active medium, Tsuzuki walked up to Hisoka and cold-cocked him on the side of the head. Hisoka went limp against the invisible bonds, and the arrowhead fell to the ground.

His other salivated for the chance to take advantage of this moment the rage overtaken by hunger, but Tsuzuki firmly held the reins. Hisoka needed to know that he was still here for him, that it wasn't his fault that he was attacking Tsuzuki.

Hearing the sound of the gods' battle and the boom of their auras colliding, Tsuzuki pressed his hand against the shoulder where their shared curse still thrived. Closing his eyes, Tsuzuki pressed his lips against Hisoka's cool ones and let himself slide into his dream.

_Tsuzuki opened his eyes. His hand was pressed to a tawny tree trunk. When he pulled back, he realized the strange tree was just an ordinary cherry tree with the exception that it was in hues of yellow. _

_He turned and saw Sohryuu in beast mode surrounding the tree, and then saw the back of a blond head. "Hisoka?"_

_His pleasant humming interrupted, the teen looked up from his kneeling position. _

_Sohryuu whipped his head inside the circle._

_Seeing how uncertain Hisoka stood, Tsuzuki turned his attention to Sohryuu. "Sohryuu? What are you doing here?"_

_"Be careful. He remembers naught," Sohryuu grumbled and swung his head back outside the circle of his body._

_Tsuzuki frowned. That might make things a little more—_

_There was a loud screech from afar, and it sounded outraged._

_"What the hell was that?"_

_"Yatonokami," Hisoka answered him quietly. _

_Tsuzuki could practically taste both his fear and exhilaration. Hisoka's heart was pounding in his chest. _

_"I think my village made me the sacrifice." His low voice was toneless._

_Stepping closer, Tsuzuki's long arms trapped him with ease, but strangely Hisoka seemed to like it. "You don't need to be strong for me, Hisoka. I've known you for some years now."_

_"Who are you?" Hisoka asked uncomfortably._

_"One time, you were very sick and I came to visit you here." Tsuzuki stepped back and gestured outwards. "Well, not _here_ here. We were inside of a storehouse then."_

_An inner light illuminated the tree bark. Hisoka stared at him in disquieting hope. "A... asato?" Not even a smidgen of pain announced itself within his partner._

_A childish grin spread on Asato's face. "I like it when you call me by my given name. I never did properly introduce myself, did I? My name's Tsuzuki Asato." _

_Suddenly Hisoka felt very exposed, and his eyes darted to the left and right, contemplating whether he should say something. _

_"What is it?"_

_The one Tsuzuki loved more than anything pressed his lips together and looked down. "The dragon said you were supposed to protect me."_

_Bending to kneel on the ground, Tsuzuki looked into Hisoka's clear, green eyes and clutched onto his hands. "I failed to do that... Normally, I'd beg for forgiveness, but we don't have time." His expression became grave. "You need to remember everything Hosogyokumon made you forget."_

_"Who?"_

_"You know him as Yatonokami."_

_"No!" Hisoka shook his head furiously and tried to yank out of his grip. "I don't want to remember anything about that god!"_

_"I'm sorry... I'm so sorry," Tsuzuki caged him in gently with his abnormal strength as Hisoka flailed and kicked out. The longer he held him, the less Hisoka fought, and self-loathing filled Tsuzuki. "Please remember, Hisoka."_

_The tree shined in marigold radiance, banishing the moonlight in its nearly sunbright light. _

_Hisoka gasped out._

_Sohryuu shifted when the fields behind him began to change._

_A complex of buildings and trees came into existence farther down the hill, while fencing appeared around the graveyard._

_Hisoka tugged one of Tsuzuki's arms up and gripped his hand tightly. There was a shake, more of a quiver, to his frame, a frailness that hadn't been there before, but Hisoka was doing his damnedest to hide it. _

_"Hosogyokumon can control Sohryuu and Tenkuu. He... made the curse grow back and hijacked it. But, if he hurts you, he loses control of me. It's why he ordered me to kill you." _

_"Hisoka..." Tsuzuki murmured softly. "I'm sorry... I'm sorry that I couldn't stop him or keep you safe." _

_Hisoka's heart was hammering wildly in his chest as the memory of that event pushed to the surface, and he tried not to remember slimy tentacles clutching him and-_

_Standing, Tsuzuki kissed him chastely on his cheek, and he wrapped hand around the nape of his neck, trying to ground him from such awful memories. "I love you. I'm sorry I couldn't-" _

_"Stop. I don't want you to apologize... just kiss me for real," came the breathless voice. _

_When Tsuzuki predictably did nothing but wallow, Hisoka went on his tiptoes and pressed his lips to Tsuzuki's, kissing him soundly with his teeth catching on the tender flesh of his mouth. He felt as if he were drowning, and Tsuzuki was the only one who could pull him to shore._

_Inhaling sharply, Tsuzuki pulled back, catching those hands that had pushed his jacket back and tried to undo his tie. The side effects of his trespass were beginning to take. "Hisoka, I'll-"_

_Without warning, Hisoka plowed his hands into Tsuzuki's midsection. "You've left yourself defenseless, you idiot!" _

_Tsuzuki would return later, but because of the unexpected psychic attack he had left a part of himself behind..._

TBC._  
_


	22. Hematic Fatality

_**Author's notes:** \o/ Ah-ha! New chapter done in a week! Whee! :D Thanks to all who've read and reviewed so far! Hope you all enjoy the surprises!  
_

**Warnings:** Implied rape (again). Character death(s) ahead! _  
_

* * *

I'm not the one who'll lose

I'm not the one who surrenders

I am what I am

Is it so hard to understand?

I'm the king on my land

Hate me, hurt me, kill me

Think about me what you want

You cannot trample me under you feet

_-__Excerpt from_ "Little Deaths" _by To/Die/For  
_

* * *

"Hisoka will kill him properly," the fangy smirk baited Kurikara, and the dragon's temper was barely held back. At least those two souls were no longer a liability nearby.

"Still riding that lame horse, damn bastard? Because it's clear as shit that it hasn't worked very well with your last powerful victim. It's been three thousand years, and as you can see I'm still very much alive."

"Yet here you stand before me maimed." The snake raised a finger and traced it over his own right eye, mocking the dragon's old scar. "You're jealous, Dragon of Fire. Because I did take that wild horse, and made it lame with my _hard riding_."

Kurikara's powerful ki erupted dangerously, and he ran in for the kill with both Futsu and Ame in hand.

Whether it was the shaft, butt, or spear point, Kurikara's blades were met and deflected again and again. They fought ferociously neither making headway.

Hosogyokumon had apparently honed his skill in the Way of the Spear, anticipating their rematch. He was matched in skill now to Kurikara's swordsmanship.

Finding an opening, Kurikara brought Ame inside the spear, but Hosogyokumon relaxed his grip and casually tipped the spear nearly goring Kurikara if the dragon hadn't side-stepped the attack.

Kurikara swung, parried, and thrust again and again, yet they were at a solid draw.

Knowing he would be the first to wear out in a test of endurance, the Dragon King jumped back, floating into the air, and yelled, "Divine Ki Attack!"

A hot blast of the re-birthing fires headed straight for that snake.

Hosogyokumon brought his hands up, covering his face from the worst of it.

The fire dragon continued the assault for as long as he could muster. Minutes chugged by, and still he continued the onslaught.

He finally relented, sweat dousing him. Kurikara set down on the ground again. His swords hummed with the barely constrained violence sweeping off of him.

"I still feel his presence, sire."

The charred husk of a body remained in the hole, the chain unaffected. Hosogyokumon's clothes were burned away.

Grimacing at Futsu's statement, Kurikara swooped down and sliced the charcoal remains in several pieces. Exhausted, he could barely stand as he eyed the accursed chain leading up and out of the hole. If Hosogyokumon were dead, the chain would not have remained unbroken.

Right in front of him, the cuff floated up and Hosogyokumon re-spawned out of thin air as if nothing had ever happened. Kurikara laughed once at the sight, straightening when he drew his shoulders back with his swords at a ready stance. Kurikara would kill him until he was satisfied. Then, he'd call Touda over.

"Hm," the snake curled his lip back and opened his arms. "Did you wish to attempt that again? Or perhaps open a wormhole to cast me out?"

Kurikara rushed forward, before being cut short by Sohryuu's claw. His swords were caught between the raking talons, and then he was knocked away, the Blue Dragon snatching him up and carrying him in an instant like a raptor scooping up a rodent.

Touda sprang to action, slamming a heavy fist into Hosogyokumon's slight frame. The snake went flying, until the wall of the crater, which was dug out by Kurikara's relentless divine ki attack, cut Hosogyokumon's flight short.

As much as Kurikara would have liked to see that snake's ass get handed to him, he had to turn his attention back to Sohryuu since the dragon's preferred method of physical attack was evisceration by claws or teeth.

* * *

A hand with a sharp arrow tip came straight for Tsuzuki's eye, and he jerked back reflexively. The broken arrow sunk into his arm missing anything important. He bit off the noise of pain and grabbed Hisoka's hand before the weapon could be jerked out.

Under them, the still-activated slips of magic contained them in the circle of light. The rough circumference of the slips showed signs of energy dissipating harmlessly, still sparking crimson. Tsuzuki had thought the Bowman would try that lightning attack again, and he'd been right.

"Bind!" Tsuzuki slapped another charm to the Bowman's chest and a webbing of inked paper shot out in all directions.

To properly contain Hisoka with magic normally limited to free-roaming spirits, Tsuzuki signed modifications with his hands as he spoke the finishing mantra. Without Tsuzuki restraining it, the Bowman's hand released the short arrow shaft and moved, palm out. Trusting that his magic would soon finish to seal the Bowman's movements, Tsuzuki focused on the spell as the hand come forward, slowing down as it did.

When it delicately brushed fingers over his jaw, he glanced up in surprise, not being alerted by the tenuous link remaining between them. There was a spark of awareness in those green eyes that hadn't been there before Tsuzuki had deliberately gone into Hisoka's dream. Hisoka looked relieved as his body and face rapidly disappeared under the spell paper.

The outstretched arm and the small body were wrapped up in swathes of expanding paper.

Even if he had regained consciousness, Tsuzuki knew he couldn't afford to let Hisoka out of the seal. As much as he hated to think it, Hisoka was compromised while the cursemarks of another rested on his skin. But that didn't mean Tsuzuki would let him of his sight, especially now that he was utterly defenseless. Hot blinding light and air from Kurikara's divine attack blew into the shield surrounding them then, and Tsuzuki steepled his hands again.

"Of the eleven gods that protect me..."

* * *

Taking a deep breath after Tsuzuki's sealing spell sent him spiraling back to his mind, Hisoka wrapped his arms around himself.

Just as Rikugo had suggested, he started remembering things, getting a taste of how he was when he was younger. It really felt like a different person, a stranger he didn't know.

Shaking his head, he forced the worry out of his mind. It was silly. Of course there'd be things people didn't remember about themselves.

He'd even remembered something strange and more recent. Dreams that he'd shared with Tsuzuki. Even if it wasn't real, Hisoka was warmed that their younger selves had been able to bond so easily. It made him more optimistic of their burgeoning relationship. Plus, Asato was—Tsuzuki had been really cute despite the hardships he'd faced. He wondered if Tsuzuki remembered them...

"Hisoka!"

He startled turning around, recognizing the youthful voice.

"Did you miss me, Hisoka?" The precocious boy with violet eyes smiled up at him, a perfect picture of innocence.

"Asato." Dread sunk into his gut as he swallowed down his anger from being deceived, but then wasn't that a characteristic of demons? "You were the one in the marsh, in my dreams."

"Only the first two." The boy bowed with an actor's flourish and then straightened with that all too familiar hungry grin. "Did my Hisoka enjoy the performance?"

Well, that explained a lot to Hisoka. For one, before the link cemented he'd been able to read Tsuzuki easily, but with this doppelgänger Hisoka received only feelings. The hunger had been undercurrent in the dream, but he'd assumed it was because Tsuzuki had been underfed as a child.

The sound of scales sliding over grass brought Hisoka's attention back to Sohryuu, who didn't seem to notice Asato, just as Tsuzuki hadn't noticed Tenko.

"Tsuzuki needs you," Hisoka breathed out quietly, mindful of the company not far away.

"No, he can fight this battle on his own, now that my Hisoka is lovingly wrapped within a seal." The child's eyes traced over his form as he stepped forward. "I'm surprised. I'd thought there would be questions about us, about Tsuzuki."

The teen very consciously stepped back against the tree, but the boy made no move to attack in his press forward. "If he wanted to tell me..."

"He won't. Isn't that curious?"

Hisoka knew demons played games to achieve or swindle people out of something. He figured Tsuzuki's other was no different. "What do you want?"

"What every demon desires: Power and a steady supply of sustenance." Asato tilted his head with a child-like sing-song voice, "Guess which one my Hisoka provides?"

Hisoka balked and said flatly, "I'm not giving you my soul."

"Oh, that's so naive!" The child's laughter filled the air with simple delight, and the boy took in a deep whiff of air. "I already have that."

"What?" Hisoka felt the wind blow out of him.

Probably sensing Hisoka's shock, Tenko started towards him, calling out. "Are you okay?"

"You have mine too. Isn't that the human's way to love?," the young boy asked easily over Tenko's words.

It took Hisoka a moment to absorb what was being said, considering two beings were trying to talk to him at once.

"I'm fine. Thanks." He waved at her dismissively, but she only looked more worried and came closer.

Tsuzuki's demon looked about in fascination. "There is nobody but that hulking dragon around. Have you gone mad, Hisoka?"

He decided to turn his full attention to Tenko. "Really, I'm fine. I was startled by something I figured out. I need some time to.. get used to it."

Thankfully, Tenko nodded and pulled away respecting his need for privacy. It was kind of strange to Hisoka because she seemed a little wiser now that she was supposed to be dead... He waited until she hopped onto her father's tail, still looking back at him worriedly.

When Hisoka turned back to Asato, he met eyes that were staring at him in open curiosity.

"What is it that you see that I do not?"

"Plenty," Hisoka ground out angrily, "You know, people who love each other don't threaten to eat their beloved's soul."

Asato's eyes glistened while he jutted his lower lip out in a pout. "I never threatened to do that. You're so cruel, Hisokaaa."

"You're a demon. That's what they eat."

The boy sighed theatrically waving his hands in the air. "I hadn't realized my Hisoka was this stupid, but since I feel generous I'll enlighten." Asato pointed a finger upwards. "Not all demons can digest human souls, especially not _mere_ halflings."

Hisoka looked again at the stark hunger in his eyes and regretted not studying demonology more. The bite scar ached on his inner elbow in remembrance, and he thought about the old complaint about sour blood. "Do you feed off of flesh?"

"So close! I can if need be, but the effects are unpleasant." Asato's eyes stared at his prey's hand cupping the bite mark. "Biting lays claim, so no demon thought that what was mine could be theirs."

Flashes of maniac eyes and bone-deep hunger and violence reminded Hisoka that all was not as benign as Tsuzuki's other made it out to be. "I don't buy it. If I hadn't stopped you, you would have..." Hisoka shuddered and when it had passed glared. "You would have tried to use me."

There was a casual shrug of his shoulders as the demon for once chose not to maintain eye contact and for all intents looked unbothered. "I can't change who I am. I was starving, and you were the only option to keep us alive. To apologize would mean that I would change my behavior. If I could go back, I wouldn't have proceeded any differently."

Hisoka understood him to say sorry nonetheless. For a selfish, self-serving creature as this inner-Tsuzuki was he hadn't admitted it in a cocky, proud fashion. However, how much of it was real? Hisoka had already been deceived once before.

The ruthless boy tilted his head the other way in a disconcerting fashion with a twisted smile, his eyes hidden from the fringe of hair. "Well, I probably wouldn't have gone after that girl. She had the distant blood of a priestess in her family line. Tsuzuki was sick for days after, while you were still recovering." The boy chuckled. "He'd thought our body was purging remnants from that demon Hidouzaki's energy. That was he did, until your little pet unlocked that memory."

Storing that last bit of information away, the answer came to Hisoka suddenly. It was so simple and obvious. "You feed off of sex."

The boy clapped his hands together, meeting his gaze once again. "Yes, I feed off the pleasures of the flesh, but don't worry. I promised not to bite again." The snaggletoothed smile might have been adorable if his eyes hadn't been gleaming like a predator staring at food. "Unless you beg."

The look gave Hisoka pause as his heart tightened, yet he no longer felt like he needed to escape. He snorted, breaking eye contact. "What kind of demon are you?" He'd meant it jokingly, not expecting a serious answer.

"Have you ever heard of a succubus?"

"Yes, it's a female demon that preys on men when they sleep."

"I'm the male version, an incubus." The youth winked at him. "We take any comers, male or female, whoever will have us, whenever. It's easier to feed from a human when their inhibitions are lowered as they dream." Asato nodded to himself, musing. "I doubt you would have thrown yourself at Tsuzuki earlier if you weren't dreaming."

Hisoka's cheeks colored in indignation. "I was protecting him!"

Shaking his head, Tsuzuki's demon pfft-ed. "If you hadn't sensed his impending danger, you would have stripped him on the spot. How endearingly innocent that you deny that you're utterly intoxicated with Tsuzuki. You've already slept with him, so I don't understand it. Why deny yourself? Or are you being deliberately coy?"

Hisoka flushed, remembering how he'd given a hungry kiss to Tsuzuki and tugged to pull open his collar and remove his tie. "I-I wouldn't have pulled off his clothes..."

"Hmm..." Asato lifted a finger to his lips, rubbing it along the lower one in thought. "There's no reason to deny what you feel. With an incubus around, your shackled desires are unleashed, revealing whatever perversions may come. That's how I eat to stay healthy and awake." He chortled at Hisoka's distressed expression, and then added, "Then again, your sexual hunger isn't what I expected. Usually the quiet ones tend to have colorful fantasies," the boy paused, "Not to say that yours are boring..."

"So... that dream I shared with Tsuzuki...was..." His entire body flushed in response as he thought back on it. No wonder Tsuzuki had felt so guilty in the ward when Hisoka had told him about the erotic dreams they'd shared. Tsuzuki had known that he'd unconsciously fed on him. Was this what had been keeping Tsuzuki at arm's length all this time? What he was afraid of? Hisoka flushed even more when he remembered the complete look of... satiation on his lover's face as he'd lick Hisoka's belly clean.

"Yes," Asato answered, teasing out the vowel, and then grinned. "And if that fool backs out, all the more for me."

"I don't want _you_," Hisoka snapped out acidly. At the pointed eyebrow raise, he was unnerved, "I haven't reacted to you, so—"

The boy tilted his head slowly with a Cheshire cat grin. "Is that a challenge?"

"No! I—" Hisoka's throat closed up on his biting words, killing them before they were voiced, when a full-grown Tsuzuki in a bathrobe took Asato's place.

"I could be your sexual fantasy incarnate, if you wanted, and could give you whatever you desired." The husky voice was full of yearning. Tsuzuki's lean chest was in open display, and Hisoka swallowed down the lump of words in his throat. "Shall I do a striptease and then oil myself down? Perhaps pose naked under your close inspection?" he purred deeply.

Irritation colored Hisoka's features as his fingers itched to touch what was so easily bared and his eyes flickered to stare and look away. "Sexual fantasy incarnate? Right." He rolled his eyes, keeping centered with the unnatural green moonlight glaring from above. "Cut it out already. You're being ridiculous."

"Is that so? Hm," the demon clucked his tongue and then snapped his fingers. The setting around them swiftly transformed into a room complete with a plush futon. Old-fashioned lanterns were lit around them in the dark.

The bathrobe had changed into an open kimono draped over Tsuzuki's form that left nothing to the imagination, especially his aroused state. His lover's face was flushed and allowed the kimono to slowly slip off his shoulders, while his large hand had wrapped around his fleshy shaft squeezing and stroking up. "Hisoka..." Tsuzuki's breath hitched.

"Uh," Hisoka's face was so heated he felt his ears flame, and he took an instinctive step back, except the shouji door was already pressed to his back. His fingers ran along the smooth paper towards the recessed handle he knew had to be there to get the hell out of there. Tsuzuki would never dare to come onto him this strongly.

"No, please," Tsuzuki gasped into a brief groan, forcing his hand away from himself, "Don't leave like this, after teasing me. I can't wait any longer. I'm so hard—" Tsuzuki's breath hitched again and melted into a half-moan his knees shaking, "Please, stay here with me..." he whined lightly while the kimono dropped to the floor completely.

Hisoka's sudden rapid heartbeat made him lightheaded as he felt his blood rush downwards. Then his knees buckled, and he fell hard against against the door which bowed against his weight. He had to force his head to turn away from the erotic sight when he felt his groin tighten even more painfully.

"S-stop! You've..." He gasped out. "You've made your point." He'd never seen Tsuzuki like that before, and yet it'd had such a powerful effect on him. At the same time, he felt disgusted at his reaction to Tsuzuki's neediness—and he shook his head, wishing the painful erection would deflate. Somehow, the thought of Tsuzuki actually showing this raw neediness to him set his blood on fire, and the memory replayed. He shivered at the smirk the naked Tsuzuki threw at him.

Victorious, a clothed Asato replaced the other Tsuzuki and bowed with another flourish and an impish grin. The illusion shattered revealing the moonlit landscape again. "I could have had so much fun with that. What a pity."

Meanwhile, Hisoka struggled to push himself up the tree trunk with half curled fists. Looking around he realized Sohryuu and Tenko were both gone, and so was the screeching from the marshes. He wondered if that were another illusion created by Tsuzuki's other too.

Even while he throbbed under his kimono, Hisoka frowned suspiciously. Asato was far calmer here than outside when he overtook Tsuzuki's body. He wondered why he had yet to be extremely hands-on possessive. "You're trying to get on my good side. Why?"

Asato closed his eyes and glowered. "I need you for sustenance."

"What's the real reason?"

The white-less eyes of shining violet opened slowly. "I'm weary of this half-existence. I want to be whole again..." Soulful eyes shone sorrowfully up at Hisoka. "And, I know you can convince him. He listens to you."

That sounded like honey to Hisoka's ears, which was all it took for him to question it. "And?"

Foiled, Asato sighed again angrily and stubbed his toe in the mud. "If I don't get more sustenance soon, I will become dormant."

"I inferred that since you weren't causing problems until Tsuzuki started having dreams with me. You talked about staying 'healthy and awake'. " Hisoka crossed his arms and stared him down.

Lips twisting into a deeper scowl, Asato's eyes alighted with sudden eagerness. "Then, I want to make an exchange with you."

"A demon's contract? No thanks."

The expression twisted into betrayal, and Asato suddenly in the guise of Tsuzuki slammed a hand next to his head on the tree, which reacted by brightening minutely. "_I am not infinitely patient!_" he yelled with that rough demon's voice.

Hisoka glared up at him without flinching. "There it is."

"_What?"_

"Your true nature."

Laughing gutturally, Asato pressed a hand to his face because this half-grown, half-god runt was so... _perfect_. He resisted to _take_ that instant, but no, that would ruin everything he'd built up in gaining this one's trust.

"We'll talk, after Tsuzuki chooses to accept you."

"_Oh?_" He leaned his hands on the trunk, the teen between them, and touched his nose to Hisoka's.

Green eyes gazed at him with hooded curiosity. "What?"

Turning his head just so, Asato—still wearing Tsuzuki's face—dipped his lips down, but was stopped short by Hisoka's hand on his mouth. He ran a tongue over the palm, which was awkwardly cupping his mouth, and Hisoka jerked away, shaking his hand, and ducked under the arms caging him in. "Cut it out."

"_I won't forget your commitment._" The demon bowed with an arm pressed across his abdomen like a foreigner or a butler and his eyes rested on Hisoka this time before disappearing.

Hisoka swallowed his pulse down and clenched the licked hand into a fist. He knew he'd do anything for Tsuzuki, when it came down to it, just as Tsuzuki would do anything for him. But he had to wonder if it was such a good idea, attempting to get the other back into the fold of Tsuzuki's main personality.

* * *

Riko held her palm up, cupping the soft glow of sunlight the size of a marble she had stored within her earlier. It didn't drain her too much, though she had to be careful or it'd run out as she tiptoed over the broken pieces of rock. She had tripped many times over her pot and had decided it was better with the two tough soles of her feet than one wide-based pot.

Soon, she sensed a human she knew. "Hey, hey! Amigo~! You're better!"

Bringing the light towards him, she bopped up and down excitedly. "Master healed you, didn't he? He's such a great guy, isn't he? Did you get beat up again trying to stop that nasty _culebra_?"

The tall, tall human quietly shed his dirty outer kimono and dropped it on her head, treating his right arm with care.

"Oops! Sorry, amigo! I haven't figured out how to transfigure clothing yet. It'll happen with practice!"

"Where is this place?" The soft voice spoke as she wiggled into it, her hand wrapped around the marble of light.

"We're inside a palace shikigami. Don't worry! We should be safe here, amigo! Though, he was kinda acting weird earlier..."

He looked down, wearily. "What's your name, little one?"

"Riko! And you're related to Master! I can tell!" She said proudly spinning in place and caused the kimono to whip up like a cape.

He assumed she meant Hisoka. This odd girl was really something to behold. Her affectionate personality reminded him a little of the old Kasane and her cheerfulness to serve of Miya.

Nagare grew depressed. As a father, he had completely failed in his duty. He hadn't saved his son from a fate of great suffering.

His eyes filled with sudden tears. His son's screams and the squelching sounds had almost broken him. He knew the memory would haunt him for the rest of his life. He wanted to kill Yatonokami with his bare hands, however unlikely. His fists tightened.

"Amigo... Master _will_ be okay. I turned out okay, so... Master, should be okay too. He's even stronger than me."

Nagare was forced to take pause at her words and looked down at the dimly lit girl. He didn't know how to tell her that it was not something that left someone unharmed, even if she was unaware of its effect on herself.

"Plus, he has the Tsuzuki of Thirteen on his side! He can't lose... you know?" Her tone of worry betrayed her forced cheer as she sought comfort from her fears.

"This is the same Tsuzuki as Tsuzuki Asato?"

"Mmhm!" Riko'd excitement giggled over, relieving the moment of tension. "They've been work partners for years, but I think they're finally lovers! Aren't you happy for them, amigo?" She flapped her arms energetically. "They love each other _so_ much!"

Nagare had heard his son resist that monster's demands, and knew it was this Tsuzuki's fault. He said nothing, thinking the girl had a need to talk enough for the both of them.

"They only met each other 'cause they're shinigami. They work in the Judgment Bureau solving the hardest cases of missing souls! That's what Rikugo told me. They have to leave Gensoukai for a long time for work." She stopped suddenly as Nagare parsed her words, soaking up the information about his son's job as a death god.

She leaned back on her heels with a curious look. "It must be a family thing."

"Oh?"

"Being so quiet!"

He chuckled softly.

"You know what? I planned for their wedding and everything! You can come too! But don't tell them about it... it's a secret, okay? Hisoka's been crazy in love with Tsuzuki since I met him. He just never knew how to show it... and he seemed a little afraid of it."

That didn't surprise Nagare so much. His son had rarely expressed any emotion while he was still alive... well, he couldn't say his son was dead any longer, could he? His son was experiencing a second life, considering he'd fallen in love! It sounded unreal. He never expected death gods to act so human—be so human. There was hardly any physical difference between the Hisoka he met in the healing light and the Hisoka he met for the last time in the hospital. The only difference was all hidden in the strength of his soul. His son's gaze never wavered or faltered from his own, expressing a confidence and certainty he'd never had while he was still alive.

Nagare blinked when he realized Riko was _still_ talking.

"-da, Sohryuu, Genbu, Byakko, Suzaku, and Hisoka makes thirteen! Which is why it's Tsuzuki of Thirteen now," the girl grinned expectantly.

Nagare recognized only the last few he'd heard. "And Gensoukai is...?"

"You know all those folk tales and myths and stories about guardian spirits? Well, when humans stopped believing in us we had to move away 'cause we would have faded away if we hadn't. Gensoukai is its own world to buffer us shikigami from humans. Before the Gatekeepers, Ying Yang Masters would come to try to convince us to work for them, but... now only shinigami come to visit us." She seemed a little depressed at that, but that didn't last long. "You're the first real human I've met! What's it like in the Human World? Are there weird animals to see and awesome places to visit?"

"There are such places. I've never left my village to go see them."

She looked upon him with great pity, and then her expression brightened. "Hey, hey! This is Hisoka's first real vacation too! We should all enjoy it together! But first, we gotta get out of here, amigo!" She grabbed his hand like a simple child and tugged. "Come on, I think an exit out of the Cave of Abzu is this way!"

Nagare saw no other logical choice but to allow the strange little girl, who held the light before them, to lead him to some new and different place. Even if he was undeserving of such kindness after what he had allowed to happen...

"Amigo, don't be so hard on yourself! I know Master wouldn't want you to feel that way, since he did it to save us." The small hand squeezed his tightly, and Nagare tried to imagine she was right. He was also intrigued that she divined that so accurately, so he asked, "Do all shikigami have an ability to sense feelings or thoughts?"

She looked over her shoulder grinning. "Almost all, amigo! Without it, it'd be hard to know if a human was worthy of our help." She winked. "It's an ability that's only good on humans, amigo!"

Hobbling over the broken shards of rocks, Nagare hm-ed at that.

* * *

While others were fighting, possibly to the death, the waving Queen stood on the balcony next to the smiling King. Their subjects filled every nook and cranny of the city below them, their cries of jubilation filling the air. "Is this really necessary?"

"Even if we went with an army, our intentions would only be misunderstood. Let them destroy the Immortal One and then, once the coronation ceremony is over, we can formally announce our intention to fight for fair re-trials of all who have been exiled to Fuyuu Desert. "

"Do you not think our time would be better spent preparing for those trials, as opposed to feasting for the entire day and following night as tradition dictates?"

"My lovely Queen, petitions have been collected with Master Genbu's help. Koku Shungei of the Kagan tribe has agreed to deliver it for us by tomorrow afternoon with a small contingent of our Guard. Enjoy yourself for we shall be very busy monarchs in the coming months preparing for those very trials."

The Queen grumbled. She wished she could join the Guardsmen herself.

"Smile, my Child!" The Holy Mother admonished her cheerfully.

Teeth bared in some imitation of a smile, the Queen's ears pulled back in annoyance. Next, would come another feast followed by dances, high jump competitions, and other assortment of entertainment.

However, her confidence in the shinigami named Kurosaki Hisoka never wavered. Even worried for his safety, she felt he would survive the ordeal that was prophesied.

* * *

Bones sliding back in place, Hosogyokumon pulled himself out of the hole of stone, brushing debris off of his clothes. "And the name of my contender is...?"

In a blink of an eye, the black-clad shikigami slammed a roundhouse kick into his ribs to knock him back into the wall and pummeled his ribs. The stone cracked under the force of each blow.

The strange god with an aura of black jumped back when he had finished his attack.

Nothing happened for several moments, and then Hosogyokumon broke free of the stone. Brushing himself off, yet again, the tall, lithe shikigami smiled. The unusual aura posed no threat to him afterall. "When even KurikaraRyoOh can't kill me, I doubt you could."

Blistering hot black flames burst forward, but Hosogyokumon made no move to defend himself. He looked smug, that is, until his charred left arm dropped off and didn't reform. Instead the arm had turned to dust once it hit the ground. The shikigami looked baffled staring at where his arm had been. When nothing continued to happen, Hosogyokumon ground his teeth and jerked on the chain. "Hisoka, come here at once!"

"He has been sealed. Your voice cannot reach him." A rough hand clutched his face and slammed him into the ground, and the next moment he was burning. He felt himself dissolving away before he could even react.

Touda's hand hovered over the remaining pile of black ash, quickly disintegrating. He was alert to the tapping of a cane. He looked up to see the wizened old man gazing down from above.

"So, the rumors are true. By your hand, death is permanent to us. Lucky for us Guardians that you choose to fight for our side."

"I do not fight for the Guardians." Straightening, Touda jumped easily from the deep crater to the courtyard level. "What is it you want?"

"There is a task, I believe, that only someone with your particular skill set could accomplish. I humbly ask for you to enter Tenkuu's mainframe and see if someone has tampered with it. Kurikara's harsh judgment rests on the evidence where he attacked first."

"It doesn't concern me."

"Doesn't it?" Genbu chortled. "Have you given up leaving this world to which you never belonged? If your strongest supporter remains locked away, you will never escape Gensoukai. You've seen the sad state of Enma's servants. How weak and frail they are under heavy-handed seals. Do you truly wish that to be the norm, O?"

Brilliant vermillion eyes glared down, and then Touda turned, his bound, black hair whipping behind him. He was heading in a different direction, towards their Master's signature.

Genbu hmphed. At least Tsuzuki held the serpent's loyalties.

* * *

It'd been ages since they'd last fought. Kurikara kept his human form for fear of burning his homeland again, but he was at a bit of a disadvantage because of this.

Yet, they tusseled for only a short time, trees crushing in Sohryuu's path, until Sohryuu stopped his attack, looking up in the direction of his palace.

The green light from his curse pulsed brightly and then fell away like shattered glass. Moving off of him, Sohryuu regained his human form and remained on guard towards Kurikara.

"So now that that's over, we've a lot of catching up to do, don't we?"

Sohryuu's hand twitched as if to grasp him but pulled it back towards his body, and then he turned away. "Don't be ridiculous. You are still not welcome in my domain, Traitor. I would send you back to Fuyuu Desert this instant if it was within my power."

"Sohryuu!"

Jerking his head over his shoulder, Sohryuu grimaced. "My patience grows thin, Traitor."

Releasing his swords back to his living scabbard, Kurikara stepped forward, "Don't you think it's rather odd? You were in trouble, no, the Imaginary World was in trouble if Hosogyokumon had succeeded, but the Celestial Emperor never came to your aid. If he existed, why did he not help you?"

"I don't have time to argue with you." Sohryuu was tired of fighting. He wanted to forget all that had transpired between them. The persistent courtship, the curse that broke them apart, and the argument that proved to be the final straw between them.

"Have you ever heard his voice outside of your head?" Boldly, Kurikara stood right next to Sohryuu, running a hand through his loose hair. "Or felt the warmth of his living body?"

Sohryuu couldn't move away. He should have, he needed to for the sake of the Imaginary World, but he remembered how he once felt ages and ages ago. "..." How long had he waited for this moment? And yet he could think of nothing but his duty. He stepped away, and the other dragon let him.

Kurikara's voice softened behind him. "Ryujin... I still—"

"You were right," the defeated, hoarse words came out stilted, interrupting his enemy's words. "The Celestial Emperor has not done a thing since you were banished. He hasn't said a word. Not about the wormholes, or anything else." Sohryuu unsheathed his sword, turning to face him. "Now remove yourself from my presence."

"Why?" With a grin, Kurikara moved forward, blocked, and parried the heavy-handed swing with the gauntlet on his right arm. "Then, your objection still stands?"

"Stop asking me for you know the answer still remains!" The Dragon of Water clenched his jaw, when his heart tightened in anguish at the bold lie. The conversation was no longer about the Serpent. It was about them.

Face darkening at the raw pain he saw, Kurikara stood a pace in front of him, seemingly unrelenting in his advance. "Then why?"

"I tire of this. Leave me be, Traitor, and leave the past in the past. What is left between us is nothing but enmity!"

"You should mourn Tenko properly."

Sohryuu swung the sword at him again. This time Kurikara had to shift his feet to remain upright. "_What_ did you say?"

The one crimson eye peered up at him gently. "Who slayed little Tenko?"

Twirling in place, he roughly sheathed his sword, while his anger dissolved into sorrow that clouded the sky. "I cannot fault Taimo for her actions. She went mad from a plague, and when she regained enough of her senses killed herself in penitence."

Kurikara was startled by the admission. "The only way for you to forgive me is if I committed ritual suicide right here?"

Sohryuu sighed heavily, the clouds above rumbling in irritation. It wasn't often that he saw Sohryuu like that, but the sharpness was back in the dragon's eyes as he raked them over Kurikara. "You never harmed Byakko, no matter what Tenkuu's records revealed."

Now, Kurikara's wariness was back in full force at that softly spoken statement. "I swore I never did. What's going on, Ryujin?" The Dragon of Fire demanded.

Sohryuu looked so pained that Kurikara wanted to slip an arm around his back and hold him tightly. The shorter dragon kept his fists clenched at his sides.

"Tenko... is my heart. I didn't understand what the Celestial Emperor had done, until she died. He had taken this piece from me because... my heart never believed you turned on Byakko, no matter how certain Kijin was."

"Do you still believe Kijin?"

"No. He said my armies were coming, yet I see no armies." Sohryuu studied his palms. "Kijin is too ruthless and cunning. I see now that he has always hated you and was more than willing to allow Hosogyokumon to run free if it meant that you would die." In defeat, he dropped his hands to his sides. "I will agree to his arrest and imprisonment if you agree to go quietly to Fuyuu Desert."

Kurikara looked grim. "I'd prefer to beat the shit out of him, if it's all the same to you... So, no. I'm not going back. I'd take banishment to the Human Realm any day."

"You're too much of a danger to those around you."

"Not if you were by my side."

Sohryuu snorted. "That is not a choice you have."

"So, you hate me that much?"

The Dragon of Water refused to make eye contact.

"What—" When Kurikara pitched forward suddenly as if pained, Sohryuu leaned forward towards him and then jerked back when he realized what he was doing.

"Aw, shit, kid! You're supposed to summon me before it gets bad!" With singleminded determination, Kurikara ran into the surrounding forest. "We'll save this for later, Ryujin! My contract-bearer's in serious trouble!"

Sohryuu watched the trailing robes and long red hair disappear into the greenery and turned away to Tenkuu, who was still in ruins from the fighting. He was in no state to offer assistance as it was, no matter how much his heart cried to be with him always.

* * *

The destruction and mayhem had stopped. The two had sighed in relief when no other attacks continued after the frenzy of movement and explosions abated.

Byakko had managed to gather only a handful of wild edible mushrooms for Ken to eat after his stomach had grumbled loudly, when he heard someone come through the underbrush. Byakko dropped down from the tree and went into a defensive stance. He stepped out of stance when he saw it was Kijin. "Oh, what're you doing out—"

The attack had been quick, adept even. Byakko stared down at the God of Thunder, realizing too late to tell Katsujin to run for it as the knife was ripped from his heart. His body fell back, frozen, and he could not stop the descent his muscles screamed to roll out of.

He felt Ken's anger burst.

"R-run, Ken," he gasped out as he collapsed in a heap. His element roared around him, but his eyes only caught the slow swirl of tree limbs and leaves.

"Time Out!" Rikugo's voice rang, and Byakko found himself staring into a white sky filled with gray-white clouds and dark gray branches.

Nothing moved. Not even him.

* * *

Ken ran for his life. It was seriously creepy how that guy without pupils, like some Final Fantasy Tonberry, slid into Byakko's space and stabbed him matter-of-factly in the chest. Which was all sorts of fucked up that he was told to run away. He was a fighter, but after all that he witnessed in this world...

Darting to the right, Ken stopped himself short, his heart hammering. That diminutive teen with short, blue hair waited for him calmly, knife in hand. Curlicues were twirling in front of the shorter shikigami, sticking to him.

"Look, I don't know what your problem is but I'm not looking for a fight." The thought crossed his mind to call Kurikara, but Ken knew that possibility was out of reach without any time. His fingertips touched the dragon tattoo, wishing Kurikara had granted him the ability to call the swords out on his own. Even if he couldn't move very fast, those two swords could on their own.

The serene face was suddenly a whole lot closer, as the one Byakko had warmly greeted as a friend coldly stated, "That makes this easier then."

Twisting at the last moment, Ken felt the knife slide through his side instead of through his ribs. "Agh!" Ken yelled out as he threw all his weight into his elbow and pushed through the guy's nose feeling it crunch, but the knife was pulled and he was stabbed again. He punched him in the jaw hearing the delicate structure snap under the blow. Feeling his face drain of blood, Ken fell forward weakly against the shikigami.

A hand grabbed his shoulder and pushed him backwards, and the knife slid out as he dropped to the ground.

"That Dragon was foolish to bring a mortal he cared for here. May your next life be more fortunate."

* * *

"Ken!" Kurikara raced. The manacle on his arm cracked. _Why didn't he try to summon me? He knows how!_

As Kurikara entered a small clearing and then dove through more trees, the manacle broke off, signaling the end of his contract. He came upon Ken's lifeless body, soaked in blood with two precise stab marks from a small blade. His swords were hovering over his body, now released from the bonds of their contract.

His spirit should have been nearby, but knowing that firecracker he wouldn't have hovered and moped over his quick death. "Ame, go find Ken's spirit and protect it."

"Right away, sire."

Kurikara fell to his knees, being careful not to touch the dead body. While his contract bearer's body was unspoiled in life, in death if he touched it, it would be reduced to ash to prevent anything from desecrating it. "Shit. Now I can't even recompense you in your lifetime for all you've done for me, kid. I'd call the best healer I know, but she was exiled because of the war."

With a clang, Futsu swung in behind Kurikara and knocked Kijin back.

Ire raised, Kurikara burned with power, turning damning eyes onto the vengeful shikigami. "You fucking coward. Why have you done this? He was innocent!"

"Once you're dead, my father won't be tormented by you." The cold voice spoke as the weirdly marked knife was held up.

The broadsword cut between them. They jumped apart, missing Futsu's large swipe. "Sire, I sense plague. It is not safe to touch me. Let me take care of this."

Kurikara nodded solemnly, his robes floating up at the raw fury he felt, and turned his stony gaze at Sohryuu's whelp. "I can't believe a weakling like you thought you could actually defeat me with such underhanded tactics! You're a dumbass!"

With insane eyes, Kijin faced his opponent, who stepped ever closer, broiling with fire. "If that's so, then why does your right hand show infection, O Mighty Kurikara RyuOh?"

"Heh. For a serial murderer, you're not much to look at." Kurikara raised his hand to signal Futsu.

Kijin sneered. "I wouldn't have had to go this route, if you hadn't showed your face in Gensoukai!"

"I don't want to hear your pathetic excuses and weak justifications. For your three murders, your life is forfeit." He dropped the raised hand.

The flash of sword was lightning-quick this time, slicing across.

Kijin hopped back too slowly, and his head rolled forward in a splash of blood. The knife fell free of his fingers. His head landed sideways, glaring curses at Kurikara for the scant seconds until Kijin finally died in a shower of scales.

Futsu hovered near Kurikara. "Your hand, sire."

The slowly hardening fingers were bent out of shape.

Kurikara shrugged. "It can't be helped since you're a part of my soul." He looked over his shoulder at the crack slowly forming on the sword's metal blade. "I'd have thought that Ame would find Ken faster..."

He plopped back down, crossing his legs and arms, and mourned the senseless loss of life.

TBC._  
_


	23. Unexpected Truths

_**Author's notes:** I... I don't think I can keep this frenzied pace of writing going. The plot thickens, oh-ho! Hope you all enjoy this chapter! Free pez to my reviewers! *hearts*  
_

**Dumplings Over Flowers** = a Japanese saying (some may know this one because of the manga 'Boys over Flowers') which means that the practical is preferred over the aesthetic or idealistic._  
_

**Warnings:** Angst. Character death(s) ahead! Flashbacks!

* * *

I try to digest my pride  
But passion's grip I fear  
When I climb into shallow vats of wine  
I think I almost hear but it's not clear

…

You so believe your own lies  
On my skin, your fingers  
Run away until the last time  
We're gonna lose forever

_—__Excerpt from_ "You are the only one" _by Shiny Toy Guns  
_

* * *

"So, this is true?" The dark, looming figure hidden behind a shadowed curtain of bamboo spoke.

The Keeper of the Genbu gate nodded. "Wakaba Kannuki has gone rogue, my lord."

"Have her stripped of her rank and access code. I will replace her at the earliest convenience. Go now."

The three gatekeepers bowed. "Yes, my lord." Then, they left through shadowy doors that had materialized behind them.

The Lord of Judgment was displeased. His most senior Gatekeeper had been crucial in her role, but now that she had failed…

"My lord, we've lost all interface," a panicked voice said.

"_What_?"

"Gold Bird has effectively sealed the Gates."

"Sever his mainframe connection!"

"We've tried, my lord. He has complete control."

There was a soft hiss. Fate was coloring him—a powerful god!—with misfortune! Now, his most loyal Child not only derailed his plans with his treasonous actions, but had apparently broken through the security features hardwired into Mother to prevent such things from happening. "Then detain him at once before he runs everything afoul," the voice cut across coldly. "And once you regain connection, extract my Children before activating the failsafe." If he couldn't control the inhabitants, he would destroy them.

"Yes, Lord Enma." The servant scurried away.

Gazing up at the cosmos, the god saw what he had missed in his last reading of the fates. The sacrificial Rabbit had survived, causing the Rose's main star bloom to swell with new growth while its twin offshoot was barely a bud.

Coolly, EnmaDaiOh focused on the Serpent sign that had fattened and lengthened since last he viewed it. Turning away, he looked to his silent, long-eared aide who had remained. "Assemble the Chiefs of all the departments."

* * *

While he waited for Touda's re-appearance, Tsuzuki pulled out the arrow still stuck in his arm and dropped it on the ground next to him. His chest burned where the other one had pierced, so he opened his shirt and ran fingers around the frayed skin of the deep wound that had yet to close.

The Tengu had to have blessed the arrows. With a sigh, he re-buttoned the shirt. At least he didn't have to worry about infection.

A heavy clink alerted Tsuzuki to look at the long chain not far from his foot. He watched as it suddenly disintegrated, leaving a stain of metal dust on Tenkuu's white marble. He placed his hand on Hisoka's bound form and concentrated. Hisoka was still alive, so—

"It is done."

Tsuzuki jerked in surprise. It wasn't easy to sneak up on him, but time and again it was just something Touda did. He was glad that the removal of the visor hadn't changed that. "Thank you, Touda. That's all I needed."

Holding a closed fist to his chest the black-clad shikigami bowed and then pivoted quickly, walking towards Tenkuu's main hall.

Tsuzuki turned back to Hisoka, lifting his hand to meet his other raised one in a cutting mudra. "Release."

On command, the paper shriveled up and pulled away, until Hisoka was completely uncovered. Leaning over him, Tsuzuki smiled when Hisoka blinked up at him and sat stiffly up. Through the bond, there was a hollow ache within Hisoka's chest, while his body screamed in complaint. His wild-haired partner looked down at the weapons still in a tight grip, before setting the bow and tanto down gently. Then his gaze shifted all over his exposed arms. "The curse is gone," Hisoka's amazement was hushed from awe, running his fingers over where they'd been.

"Touda eliminated Hosogyokumon."

"I thought he was supposed to be immortal?" Pulling the kimono off his right shoulder, Hisoka saw that the horizontal scar was all that remained of his connection to Tsuzuki. It meant that he would probably never be able to dig deep into Tsuzuki's emotions or thoughts again, but that wasn't important to him anymore. Tsuzuki was easy to read and, frankly, easy to trust. It was his other's possessiveness that scared him.

"Shinigami are immortal, too but..." Tsuzuki's eyes grew distant, and he didn't have to explain any further.

Hisoka went back to his bared arms and their lack of sinister of marks. Then, he felt Tsuzuki's open stare.

"You're hard to keep safe, you know that?"

The younger partner couldn't help the snort of laughter. "_I'm_ hard to protect? You're the one always on a suicide mission to save the day!"

"Please don't go off on your own again, Hisoka. I… I need you by my side. I can't live without you."

Their gazes locked, both recalling what Hisoka had admitted in the fires that had destroyed Shion University. Their eyes ate up details they knew so well in the other's face.

"I love you, Tsuzuki," he blurted out, knowing he'd never regret it.

The look on Tsuzuki's face was of pure bliss, and Tsuzuki slid closer to him on the cool tile. "Sorry, what was that?"

Red-faced, Hisoka placed a hand on his hovering face. "You heard me."

Tsuzuki nipped at the fingers blocking his view of Hisoka's embarrassed face, turning to nuzzle them when Hisoka merely watched him without pulling away. There was a petulant look in his violet eyes. "But you've never actually said it before. I thought I might have imagined it." Tsuzuki ran a hand over the fingers of the blocking hand, his fingertips tracing knuckles lightly as he gently pried Hisoka's hand away.

"Tsuzuki Asato, I love you. Don't make a big fuss about it." Hisoka scowled as he blushed.

"But it's a big deal! Say it again." Tsuzuki leaned forward with a dopey smile.

"Twice wasn't enough?" Not quite rolling his eyes, Hisoka slowly met him in the kiss Tsuzuki offered. There were no flashes of violence, no foul memories to horrify him. In relief, he relaxed against Tsuzuki, their lips paired together. Tsuzuki wrapped arms behind him over the bulky quiver as their kissing grew a little heated.

Hisoka was the first to slip away from the kiss, when his eyes felt heavy. He shifted and rested his head against Tsuzuki's shoulder. Tsuzuki winced, and that made the blond recoil away.

"You idiot…" Hisoka undid the buttons and tugged off the dark red shirt that easily hid bloodstains. Two inflamed wounds were dribbling blood. It was obvious that they were caused by arrowheads.

Hisoka looked up with a scowl. "You should have said something." Laying his hands over the two spots, Hisoka concentrated, summoning up his healing power.

Just as the power began to flow forward, Tsuzuki jerked back with a hiss, grabbing his wrists. "Leave it. I'll be gone in a few days."

Hisoka's eyes were locked on the fingerpad-shaped pink marks he'd left on Tsuzuki's skin before traveling up to his face. Hisoka was shocked from the damage. "Sorry, I—that's never happened before."

"That power must be a Holy elemental." At Hisoka's frown, Tsuzuki added, "There won't be any scarring, so don't worry."

"Isn't there anything you can do before then?"

"No," Tsuzuki answered sharply, too quickly by Hisoka's estimate. Maybe he could do something with his incubus powers, powers Hisoka wasn't supposed to know about yet.

"I know when we synchronized that it helped you heal faster—"

"It'll stop bleeding in less than an hour."

Why was he being so stubborn? Before Hisoka could say something else, a pain tore through his chest.

Tsuzuki's expression turned sad as he held a hand over his heart. "Kijin..."

"Kijin?" he prompted Tsuzuki as the taller man pushed himself off the ground and offered a hand down, which Hisoka took.

"Dead," came the curt response. The pain had lessened, but Hisoka could feel the gap where Kijin apparently had been. Strange. He hadn't felt Tenko when she passed… Was it because it took time for his shikigami bond to solidify with the others? He prodded the other nodes, and to his surprise they prodded back, well… all except for one. He felt that one out and realized it was Byakko, and there was an ashy, oily feel to him—

"Master, Master! Did you see! Did you see! There was a HUGE dragon made of metal that swooped across the courtyard towards the forest! It was amazing!"

Riko's voice grated across his thoughts. Glad to hear she was okay, he turned to greet her.

The sight of his father was a shock to his system. His father was missing a chunk of his hair and wore a dirtied and tattered under-kimono, while he was pulled insistently by the much smaller Riko. Hisoka was reminded that the horrors he'd faced in the darkness beneath Tenkuu had been witnessed by his father, who had suffered the fate of a bloodline contract for much, much longer.

"Look, Master, look who I brought!"

Hisoka's hand stubbornly sought out Tsuzuki's and squeezed tightly. "I see." His eyes met steely green with fine lines of age around them.

Riko had raised her free hand, the sleeve of the patriarch's ruined kimono flopping over the tip of it, and scouted around as if looking for that tentacle monster. "Master, did you get rid of the culebra?"

"Hosogyokumon won't ever hurt anyone again."

Riko dropped Nagare's hand as she pumped her fists both up in excitement. "See, see! I told you they'd win over the culebra! They're INCREDIBLE!" Then she spun around giddily in place, in some semblance of a victory dance.

"I didn't do anything. It was really Tsuzuki's doing," Hisoka admitted.

The patriarch's gaze briefly swept across Hisoka and then focused on the tall, dark-haired man in a Chinese outfit behind him. "Tsuzuki Asato, I presume?"

Tsuzuki shifted uncomfortably, not answering. Hisoka kept his entwined hand right where it was while his eyes dared his father to say something about it. "Yes, Father."

"Kurosaki Nagare, the 16th patriarch," his father introduced himself brusquely. "The little one here has explained many details about your occupation, though I already assumed a handful after meeting four of your coworkers."

Both shinigami looked surprised. That was when Nagare noticed that Tsuzuki's eyes were a very strange shade, shining with the sincerity attributed to the crystal which had the very same color. Did all shinigami have strange or foreign lineage? That red-eyed Terazuma had pointed ears, though none of the servants had seemed to notice them, and his work partner Wakaba had mismatched brown eyes.

"Four? Isn't your village in the middle of nowhere?"

"It isn't far from Tokyo, about 60 kilometers southwest, though I doubt the location had anything to do with it." A tired smile flickered in his eyes. "I have had an extremely unlucky life, Tsuzuki-san."

"Who did you meet?" Hisoka asked cautiously. He hadn't known anybody had visited his family home.

"Watari Yutaka and Tatsumi Seiichirou were the first pair, and they took my wife's soul to heaven about six months ago. Wakaba Kannuki and Terazuma Hajime just arrived a week ago. They were investigating me because of unusual happenings. I ended up here after they determined a shikigami was the culprit."

Hisoka was thinking of what he was doing six months ago. He had been recovering after Kyoto...

"Your coworkers were very discreet. I only rooted them out because of their strange _ki_." The scaly eyes pinned amethyst ones. "I was told that you've been work partners for quite a while."

"Ah, yes sir." The tension in Tsuzuki's form was not lost on Hisoka.

Nagare bowed as befitting of a man having good ancestry. "Thank you for watching over my son."

Flustered, Tsuzuki pulled his hand free from Hisoka's to raise both of his hands. "H-hey. I haven't—"

The Kurosaki patriarch straightened and glared Tsuzuki down in a darker manner than Hisoka had ever managed. The tall man submitted with murmured thanks at the compliment.

Had Hisoka not grabbed his arm and tugged at him with an embarrassed noise, Tsuzuki would have knelt like an old-fashioned, high class servant with his head on the tile.

Tsuzuki bowed deeply instead. "It's a pleasure to meet you, sir."

Nagare merely nodded. He stood quiet for a moment. Tsuzuki couldn't help the creepy-crawly feeling of being assessed, until it registered that the patriarch was spiritually sensing him out. Once he was done, the middle-aged man appeared much more relaxed. Tsuzuki wondered what had set him at ease.

Hisoka felt his father's bemusement as the quiet grew into awkward silence.

"I hear there is to be a wedding," his father stated nonplussed.

"Ahh…" Tsuzuki's eyes lit up with amusement as he turned to his partner with a questioning look.

Hisoka's mouth thinned into a line and he craned his head around when he heard the sound of hands clapping over a mouth. "Riko! What misleading things have you been telling my father?"

"Nothing, nothing, since it's all true! But it was supposed to be a secret!" Riko pouted at stoic Nagare. "Now you've ruined the surprise."

"_Riko_," Hisoka groaned, "We can't get married."

"How come? Ohhh. Right you have to get engaged first!" She raised her arms up and flopped the sleeves at him in a shooing manner. "Propose, Master! You can do it!"

Hisoka pressed a hand against his forehead, ignoring her request. "Exactly how many have you told this to?"

"Umm…" Riko's fingers lifted the sleeves as if she were counting under the heavy cloth. "All the shikigami that answer Tsuzuki's call and some others…"

A light laugh erupted from the Kurosaki Patriarch, who raised a hand to cover his mouth in humor. His arm twinged painfully, but he ignored it easily. The pain didn't disrupt his humor in the slightest.

"Father..." Hisoka's irritation turned on older man, finding a safe outlet, "Your arm."

"Hm, I suppose it is broken." Nagare lifted the arm and twisted it, feeling the twinge, but not registering it on his face. He pulled it away before Hisoka could catch it, however. "Do you not need rest?"

Eyes flashing, Hisoka stepped forward insistently. "I'm not that tired."

When his son reached for his arm again, he sidestepped easily.

Hisoka stumbled as he tried to keep up with Nagare's agile footwork and frowned when he saw the hard, challenging look in his father's otherwise aloof expression. "Stop being stubborn and let me fix it!"

Tsuzuki knew by watching them move gracefully around each other like mountain cats vying for dominance that this was not a battle of wills in which he wanted to be involved. Instead, he observed how shockingly similar the brothers looked with shikigami parentage. However, the seriousness of the battle was categorically lowered since Nagare appeared to be _teasing_ Hisoka like the father Hisoka claimed him to be.

Riko tugged at his jacket and whispered loudly. "Master feels happy, doesn't he?"

"Yes." Tsuzuki grinned.

"Perhaps if you had kept up with your Aikido, I might be more acquiescent to your attention," the tone held the hint of disapproval.

Hisoka's face heated up from shame, and yet he could sense the humor and love at the biting words. Well, he could trump his father by showing him what he'd been learning instead of practicing his footwork. With a stubborn look, Hisoka dug a hand into his kimono and pulled a dark blue paper from its inner pocket. Slapping his hands together, he cried, "Seal!" and tossed it at his unsuspecting father.

Nagare gave him a curious look that changed to alarm as the charm grew in size and caught him like a fish in a net. He teetered before relaxing into a deliberate fall on his left side. The look of bewilderment on his face was priceless. Hisoka had never seen an expression like that before on his father's face.

He crouched by his father. "Now, hold still." He laid his hands on top of him and began to let his healing power slip into him.

Nagare made a scoffing noise at the order. As if he could choose anything else in the hold of a practiced sorcerer. "So, it seems you haven't been idle after all."

Tsuzuki couldn't muffle his chuckle. Hisoka threw a pointed glare at him, and he quieted down.

"Master, you cheated," his summons whined with her mouth in the shape of an 'oh'.

"It's his fault."

Riko made a noise of disagreement and then tugged on Tsuzuki's hand, whispering something Hisoka couldn't quite hear from where he knelt. A bright smile broadened on Tsuzuki's face and then the both of them pulled away with conspiratorial looks.

Already having healed the arm, Hisoka was now clearing up the aches in his father's joints, strengthening the leaky heart valves, and reviving the cells where the speckled accumulation of pollution had killed a part of his lungs.

"I am glad that you are doing well." Nagare's soft voice wrought with tension pulled Hisoka's attention back to the present. "If you have forgiven me, I may finally release my burden of dishonor." The sharp guilt slowly roiled within him, twisting like a knife.

Hisoka looked at him curiously, choosing not to delve into that cloudy mash of memory and pain while the fringes beckoned him to look and see. "If this is about making me live in the storeroom…"

There was a pause, and then his father stated vaguely, "Perhaps you do not remember because of the severity of your illness."

"Remember what?"

Hisoka winced when the memory flooded into him.

_The joy at finally finding his son was soon dashed. His son looked to be on his deathbed with so many tubes and IV lines put into his very pale, gaunt body. A machine forced air into his lungs, while his precious son had stared listlessly through his hovering face when he had begged for forgiveness. Through tears, Nagare had seen no miraculous change for the better, only hearing the constant whirring and beeping of the machines._

His father hadn't said a word after that delivery of sharp memory while Hisoka worked. When he had done, Hisoka broke the seal with a few gestures. The fuda fell to the ground and disintegrated.

"I ensured that you passed on." The whisper was hoarse with guilt and sadness, and his father remained prone on his side, his head bowed in disgrace.

"You… _what_?" Hisoka stared down at the curtain of hair shadowing his father's face. Muraki _hadn't _sucked the life out of him through the curse to death?

"It was the only way to save you from a life of hell. I did it out of my own selfish desire without caring what would happen to the village." Nagare reached up but deliberately held his fingers back from touching him, tears flowing easily from his eyes and dripping down his nose. The fingers curled back into a fist and dropped back to the tile.

Very still, Hisoka murmured, "I was in a trance through most of that. I thought that _he_ had killed me with the curse…"

Nagare nodded. "He kept you hidden by draining your _ki_. If your spirit was subdued, we couldn't find you." He moved to sit up, wiping his face. "Yatanokami and he had devised a proposal of mutual gain. At some point, they had realized that they were both poised to ruin one another should the other overstep his greed."

His son's forehead creased in thought.

"When I found you… If I had brought you home, your fate wouldn't have been any better than if I had left you… and there was nowhere I could hide you from either of them indefinitely." Nagare lifted his eyes to the brother he had raised as a son. "I know no amount of penitence can change what I've done."

"Father…" Hisoka took in a deep breath. "Where I am now, I am never without friends."

"So I gathered," came the wry response. "Your colleagues were highly protective of you."

"How do you mean?"

Leaning slightly to the side, a wistful smile tugged on Nagare's lips. "One of them implied through their surprise that I couldn't possibly wish to visit, let alone wash, your gravestone. The other suggested that your personality was a result of my parenting, or lack thereof."

Inside, Hisoka squirmed. "I was the least friendly person among them."

"I can imagine you were as secretive as ever."

His son nodded quietly with a contemplative expression.

In the meantime, his father changed the subject with an ease that belied his years of an authority figure. "Tsuzuki-san was a servant when he was mortal, wasn't he?"

Hisoka frowned. "You don't approve."

"My personal feelings hardly matter since I am no longer your Guardian. Even if this fruitless relationship is not what I would have chosen for you, it is not for me to decide since you are one of Enma's precious death gods now. If a god doesn't disallow it, who am I to question it?"

"Since when did you choose dumplings over flowers?"

"When I recognized the thief in everyone, I could no longer afford to be soft-hearted," came the callous tone.

His words caused Hisoka to blink because he suddenly remembered boldly telling his father he was too trusting for a patriarch and had used the proverb of the thief residing in all men's hearts to make his case.

Looking down respectfully, Hisoka softly said, "Tsuzuki taught me that there is goodness to be found everywhere."

"A strange proverb for a death god to espouse, certainly," came the caustic response, "Even his _ki_ feels overly gullible. I would never trust money in his possession."

Hisoka's lips quirked into a grin, breaking the tension hanging between them. "You don't know how true that is."

His father raised an eyebrow.

"Even though he's gotten a little better recently, I still can't trust him completely with money." Standing and clapping his hands free of dust, Hisoka straightened his wrinkled kimono, walked to where he had deposited his weapons, and bent down to pick up the bow and tanto. He slid the tanto into its sheath tucked in the band of cloth around his waist and slipped his arm through the bow, pulling it across his body.

Two hands straightened the quiver and bowstring so that both would sit more comfortably against his frame. Hisoka's eyes jumped from those hands to Tsuzuki's shoulder before landing on Tsuzuki's tender smile. He gave him a brief pull of his lips in response.

Nagare's face softened at that, and he looked away not sure if those two were about to express that gentle love. They certainly had that faraway lover's look to their eyes that showed that they had forgotten he was still there.

He saw a curious thing in the process.

The little shikigami, Riko, was whispering with a pot that had three dark holes to signify a face with an oil cloth tied down at the top with rope. It bopped and chortled, but didn't make a sound beyond that.

Immediately Riko ran to her Master's side and tugged hard on Hisoka's kimono to snap him out of his lovey-dovey behavior. "Daion says Rikugo told his great-aunt's cousin's nephew's daughter that Tsuzuki needs to summon Byakko now before the plague takes him!"

"On it." Tsuzuki pulled away and took his summoning stance.

"Riko, guard my father."

Nagare flicked his eyebrows up at the command, but his son never looked his way.

"Aye, aye, amigo! He's safe with me!"

As a powerful chant washed over them, Tsuzuki-san's form glowed blue as a heavy wind blew over them, and then he opened his arms in a gesture of a supplicant.

The little girl grabbed Nagare's hand again as if he were a small child and beamed up at him though it didn't hide the disturbed look in her eyes. "I'll keep you safe, amigo!"

"What's wrong, little one?"

The smile faltered. "Tsuzuki entreated only ten in his summoning."

Puzzled at her statement, he watched her, ignoring that a giant Tiger which was laboring to breath had appeared in the courtyard and that his son had pressed hands to its side.

When she didn't respond, he gently asked, "So, he is now a summoner of ten beasts instead of thirteen?"

Her eyes watered, and then she looked away. "Master is safe, amigo! Maybe… my friend is too." When she pressed herself tightly against his leg, Nagare didn't have the heart to shove her away for propriety's sake.

Looking up to see the stone-like tiger's façade melt away into a white and black pattern of fur, he calmly patted her head while she cried.

* * *

The palace's impotent anger was palatable as Touda slipped on the headband of wires and activated the computer cortex.

"Where is your control device, Touda?"

Long ago, Tsuzuki had ordered Tenkuu's subservience to Touda, and at this moment the serpent was glad for his master's forethought. It would have made things much more difficult if Tsuzuki hadn't.

"I'm here on orders from Genbu. Show me what happened before, during, and after the murder of the previous incarnation of Byakko."

With a slow chime, the virtual screen flickered to life.

_"The war will be over tomorrow," came the gruff, feminine voice, and the image of a woman in a heavy fighting overcoat appeared, her striped tail swiping behind her to express her hidden excitement._

_"It was your compelling case that managed to change Sohryuu's mind, Byakko."_

_She grinned and pounded her fist at her breastbone. "Leave it to me!"_

_Something crossed over Kurikara's features. _

_"Watch out!"_

_Then rage forced its way out, and Kurikara swung Futsunomitana straight through Byakko's lithe form, turned away from him, cleaving it in two._

"Pause record." Touda used administrative protocols to pull the coded memory apart, reading the data in its purest form. It had been spliced. The coding was inefficient as if hurriedly slapped together. He called up a sniffer program to see if a copy of the original file had survived somewhere in the depths of Tenkuu's long memory. He waited patiently as minutes passed.

There was a chime, and a match appeared.

"Play this record."

"Unable to comply. It was quarantined when it became infected with a virus."

With a flicker of irritation, Touda combed through the code and found no such thing. Bypassing Tenkuu's security protocols, he manually forced the record to play.

_Something crossed over Kurikara's features. _

_"Watch out!"_

_A heavy ornamental sword clanged against Futsu, trembling in the dragon's grasp. Kijin's eyes were marked with four-pointed stars. "Hear my words. Let them come to truth in this world." He spat in Kurikara's scarred face, and Kurikara shoved his sword hard against his off-balancing the young shikigami. "A frozen ally falls, and the Dragon King will burn the world to the ground."_

_"Your creation and power borne of the Emperor has permanently addled your wits, Kijin!"_

_A twisted smile, and the boy in gray robes jumped back spinning in the air._

_Byakko had her arms up, but she remained frozen, the enemy now barreling towards her._

_"NO!" Kurikara shoved power through his leg to make the jump between here and there, cracking the wooden floor paneling._

_Sohryuu's sword in Kijin's hand cleaved Byakko in two, drenching Kurikara and his howling sword in blood. _

_"I call on Thunder to crack through the bricks above me!"_

_The ceiling gave out, as the puff of furballs, which were all that remained of the White Tiger's body, rolled away._

Touda watched impassively as the slight form transformed into a brilliant red dragon, snapping his jaws after the figure while everything burned around him.

"Stop record. Send record to Genbu." He inserted a metal claw into the shining keyboard. "Download."

There was another chime. A dark look of eagerness crossed the normally blank face. "Protocol 4242 Activate. Password: Ji 5 Ku."

The screen flashed 'Password Accepted. Disconnecting in five seconds.'

The wired headband dropped to the ground in a haphazard array, moments later.

"Touda?" The palace could no longer sense the serpent. He had been there and then suddenly was not. The virtual screen and keyboard powered down, while Tenkuu grumbled to himself. He couldn't assume that the serpent had died and thus could not rejoice. He called up his own records and replayed Touda's actions and nonsensical words. Tenkuu had no protocol 4242.

* * *

_A black-haired boy laid back in the shade of a giant fig tree perched on a crumbling stone, muttering a long string of mantras. He set the well-worn book face-down on his head. "I give up. I'll never be able to remember all of this..."_

_A lilting voice repeated the mantra of protection, but butchered it. Not only that, the masculine voice had casually sung it instead of the usual formalistic chant. _

_The boy sat up straight. "It's Om, not Em." He looked curiously at the young costume-wearing child—he couldn't tell if they were a girl or boy with their crazy long hair. He barely studied the kid's robes, fake metal swords, and impressive deep red wig before he spoke suddenly again, "Hey, if you need directions, the historical convention is in town at the historical center. I'm busy right now."_

_"'Historical convention'? Do I look like a history-loving Shoki to you?" The strange pre-teen looked down at the kid from over his nose "I was just passing through. Go back to your studies."_

_The boy opened his mouth and then thought better of it, when he looked at the weirdly dressed kid more closely. Pointy ears, pointy incisors, a giant metal gauntlet and a metal headband that seemed completely out of place in the outfit's ensemble. "Oh, wait. Sorry about that. You're cosplaying aren't you? I don't recognize the character." The boy had to admit to himself that this kid looked pretty cool, even if he seemed arrogant. His peers didn't understand his deep faith and desire to become a monk, but that didn't mean he was so judgmental about others' lifestyle choices._

_The weird kid frowned and crossed his arms imperiously. "Cosplay? I have no idea what you're talking about, kid." _

_"Uh..." The boy didn't know how to respond to that, glancing back at his pointy ears and very strange appearance, and the jagged scar over the other's right eye... that wasn't just makeup? "It's where you dress up like a character from a story," came the confused reply._

_"Why waste time idolizing someone when you can go out and become something greater?" When the youth sent a distracted look down the path, Ken had a very good look at his ears. If they weren't fake then... The crimson eyes turned to look at him, as if he had just thought of something, and considered him. Then he faced him completely, un-crossing his arms and propping a fist on his hip. "It's a waste, you know. To devote your entire life to the temple."_

_"I don't think it's a waste." The boy responded sourly. "It's what I want to do."_

_"I can't believe that. Not with that look on your face. Who's pushing you into it, your parents?"_

_"Shut up. I'm doing what I want." The boy tensed up, while his fingers tightened around the book._

_With an angry look, the youth frowned, "Fine, Kid. I didn't think you'd be satisfied by chanting with a bunch of geezers, but I must have been mistaken." He turned with a 'hmph' and began to walk his long hair swinging behind him._

_Indignant at being called a kid when the other looked about his age, Ken stood up imposingly with a tight fist. "I'm following my dream of becoming a monk because sometimes you get to exorcise demons and stuff!" It sounded just short of cool even to his own ears. Nevertheless, he straightened with a smug look. "Besides, how can you say stuff like that when you're dressed up like some weird samurai?"_

_The kid's steps halted suddenly. The sunlight filtering through the very long hair as a breeze picked it up. He turned and frowned deeply as if taking offense at what he said, as if a samurai was far beneath him. _

_"Because I'm not pretending to be someone I'm not." he said, mildly annoyed. "If you want to waste your life playing at ghost-exorcist then suit yourself, but I'm going somewhere where actual demons and gods are at war. Not to some old woman's house because she's convinced that her squeaky wheelbarrow is a spirit." With a haughty jut of his chin, the youth smirked. "You want glory and self-satisfaction, little boy? Well, you won't find that here on this plane of existence."_

_"... Who **are** you?" The boy asked, almost afraid to know the answer. The kid he thought he saw sounded like someone twice his age, or even older. And the words coming out of his mouth were just too matter-of-fact to be crazy._

_The... whoever he was... smiled in triumph. "My name…" A very warm wind kicked up, despite it being autumn. "…is Kurikara RyuOh," he said, puffing out his chest and raising his head to his full height. "I don't expect you to know it, since I haven't been back here in two centuries your time."_

_The boy started in shock dropping his book of Buddhist mantras. "Oh, Uh. Wow. You're FudoumyouOh's incarnation, the divine justice that holds evil at bay and slays it when it goes too far?" His voice was one of wonder and disbelief. "Can you really turn into a dragon?"_

_Kurikara gave the boy a satisfactory smirk, proud that his reputation had preceded him. "Maybe all that studying wasn't for nothing after all."_

A tap on Kenichi's shoulder made him reflexively flail. He was immediately bombarded by swirls of color like the opalescence of an oyster shell as they mixed and shifted around his floating form.

His stomach flipped as the sulfuric stench of smelting and the sharp tang of ozone from welding assaulted his nose. There was another tap on his shoulder, and Ken spun around remembering what had brought him out of his daydream.

As he turned, the color snuffed out to a dark gray and he saw a tall, brooding man in a snug, sleeveless black bodysuit, long pieces of cloth hanging from his waistband. He recognized those leggings… He didn't remember his name, what Byakko called the man when Ken was caught in the haze of that drugging 'water'… "Wha..?"

"Katsujin Kenichi, don't be in such a hurry to rush to your final judgment. Return to your body. You have life in you yet," the ridiculously long-haired guy said as he reached into his chest.

As if the man had pushed a live wire against him, Ken jolted awake, rolling to his side to cough violently. Ruddy brown and red splashed onto the ground.

"Thank the gods you found your own body," Kurikara said in a strained voice. "Ame, return!"

Disoriented, Ken leaned his head against his arm, an eye rolling to see what was wrong with the dragon. "I—" Coughing came violently again and with it fresh blood. He took rattling breaths, finding that he couldn't seem to catch it.

"You're lucky. He missed your heart."

"Why… don't… I… feel—" More coughing, more blood.

"You died for a minute." A rough hand grabbed him by the back of his shirt. "Gusoku, take him to Tenkuu."

"What… about—!" Ken felt the ground's support leave him as he was picked up and placed onto the metal creature. With weak fingers, he clung against the saddle situated between the great metal dragon's shoulders, feeling like he was hacking up his lungs and drowning at the same time.

"You called, Master?" The bright, tinny voice of the smaller sword swayed into view.

"Escort Ken to Tenkuu. See that his wounds are given care."

"Y…you?" He croaked out, blood slipping out both sides of his mouth.

Kurikara smiled, robes floating about him as he hovered at eye level. "Gusoku, go now!"

With a screech, the hulking beast launched itself into the air and his left hand followed, intent on completing the task…

Landing unsteadily on his feet, Kurikara flopped gracelessly on the ground. His right arm was locked in place. Sitting up, he knelt and patted Futsu's upright pommel from where he had thrust the cracking sword into the ground.

"It was an honor to serve you, Mast—shhk!"

The leather and gems inlaid into the handle disintegrated, metal corroding away as if a black rust consumed it before his eye.

His right arm hung uselessly at his side and he felt the speedy progression of the plague into his torso and across to his left arm.

"Ame, Gusoku… Hurry to fulfill your mission," he spoke to a sky darkened with rain clouds.

The exile was dead, and Touda was free to do as he pleased within Gensoukai. Even if all his goals weren't completed, Kurikara knew he had had a good run…

He heard thunder crack in the distance and smelled the coming rain, and he grinned as his eyesight faded.

He hoped his next cycle of existence was just as fun, he thought to himself as a shadow fell over his vision.

* * *

Hisoka knelt and spread his hands placing them on the Guardian of the West, stricken with the plague. "Assuage!"

The golden light held everyone's attention, except for Nagare who saw on the horizon something in the air gleaming above the forest, his hand still on top of Riko's head.

The striped tail sprang up as the tiger transformed into a man. Byakko hopped to his feet energetically, wrapping his meaty arms around a surprised Hisoka. "Thank you! I thought I was a goner!"

Then the man with a long-tail of hair dropped Hisoka unceremoniously on the ground and pressed a fist to his forehead. "Oh, hell. Kurikara was right. Shit! I gotta see if Ken's okay!"

"Ken?" Tsuzuki echoed grabbing his summon's shoulder. "What's going on Byakko?"

"Kurikara's Human, master," came the hollow voice, "Kijin stabbed me with a curved knife with intricate designs and—I don't know what happened next, but—"

"My son is dead by Kurikara's hand." A regal man with long flowing blue hair in an unkempt outfit, stepped forward into the group. "Though for his treachery, he should have been imprisoned for eternity for causing such discord."

"Sohryuu!"

The blue eyes were grayer than Hisoka had remembered, and their gazes met without the cold touch of hostility. Sohryuu nodded towards him, looking at Nagare with some distrust before turning his attention to the reddened sky as the sun set under swollen skies. "We can ask the Dragon King when he arrives."

A roll of thunder crackled louder.

"What… is _that_?" Hisoka asked with no small amount of awe.

"Something that Kurikara made," Byakko answered nonplussed.

The group watched as the hulking metal creature dove through the archway, its wings tearing through brick when they didn't retract in time. They could feel the air hum as the metal claws groaned against Tenkuu's tiles as it slowed. Then, the bulky dragon fell forward, giant holes eating away from its frame.

"I need a healer!" The sword Ameratsu floated up frantically, it's once silver blade now a dark, cloudy gray, the voice brassy.

All but two sensed the Human before he dropped bonelessly from the saddle. Without a moment's delay, Byakko rushed forward softening the fall. "Ken!"

"Please, is there no one who can heal?" The sword settled on its tip on the ground, the metal cracking. "My Master does not want the Human to die."

Five pairs of eyes were on Hisoka, who froze under the scrutiny.

"Please, sir! This Human may be allied with the Dragon King but he does not deserve to die!" The sword implored.

Throwing off his second-guessing, Hisoka hurried over to the large man cradled in Byakko's arms. Placing his hands on his chest, Hisoka called out his power, hoping it worked.

With a large gasp, the heavily tanned, young man with dreadlocks came awake. Blinking dazedly up at the White Tiger, he gawked.

"I thought that guy killed you, Byakko!"

There was a clang. Sohryuu's alarmed shout rang out.

The sword had fallen over, and Sohryuu leaned over it and lightly scooped it up by its blade, knowing how closely tied it was to Kurikara's soul."We will burn a funeral pyre for you and your Master's service."

"My Master would be glad to know that such mercy is still in your—shhk!" It disintegrated into a heavy pile of ash, sprinkling from the Blue Dragon's fingers, which was then carried away by a sudden heavy breeze.

There was a groan behind Byakko, and then metal screamed as clouds of heavy ash rained down.

Sohryuu's hands shook as the swollen sky final broke and water pelted them from above, washing the ashy substance from his hands. A thunderous roar tore from his throat as he knelt under the onslaught. The others hurried to shelter nearby as hail bombarded them.

Only Riko remained standing in the rain-hail mix with him, her wide-brimmed hat sloughing off the cold, torrential downpour and protecting her face from the chunks of ice.

She crouched beside him, arms hugging her knees, while Sohryuu's howl of pain and rage melted with the booming thunder reverberating around them.

TBC.


	24. Fledgling Gods

_**Author's notes:** Hey guys, I'm furiously writing THE END of this series. Oh yay! Hopefully, it won't be much longer. A BIG thank you to all who've reviewed so far!  
_

**Warning:** Some angst. Surprise reveals! :D

* * *

I beg to dream and differ from the hollow lies  
This is the dawning of the rest of our lives

_—__Excerpt from_ "Holiday" _by **Green Day**  
_

* * *

Sachiya stepped out of his photo-processing lab and locked the door behind him. Running a hand through his bleached hair to fluff it up, he heard frantic voices and stopped in the darkened hallway.

Strangers were talking to one another outside Watari's lab door, which for as long as Sachiya could remember had never been closed.

"Wh—" A hand grabbed him and pulled him into the Summons Section office. "Tatsumi-san?"

The taller man released him and pushed his glasses up. "Enma's servants have permission to use His seals on us if we obstruct their mission. Whatever Watari's done…"

"So we're just going to stay here and do nothing?"

"It is out of our control."

The door to the Chief's office swung open.

"Chief! Watari—"

"I am aware, Kato-kun. Enma has summoned the Section Chiefs to an emergency meeting."

"For what reason, Chief?" Tatsumi asked calmly.

"About the fate of Gensoukai." Chief Konoe turned and exited the office as Sachiya surged forward.

"Gensoukai? Isn't that where those two_—_" A hand settled on his shoulder again. He stilled and looked up at the frowning secretary.

"Kato-kun, they'll be fine. Lord EnmaDaiOh would never allow harm to come to them."

The hand left the rookie's shoulder, and Sachiya sighed as the secretary pulled away to shuffle papers.

The rookie wasn't so sure about that, considering he'd been a pawn between that god of judgment and a powerful duke of hell.

* * *

Ken absently touched his arm where the manacle had laid for his time in this strange world, listening to Byakko's question.

"I did die for a bit," Ken finally admitted, "but that guy wearing all black sent me back."

"Touda did?" Byakko looked puzzled as thunder roared outside.

"Touda did, what?" The brown-haired person asked curiously.

Ken frowned. "Who are you?"

"Oh, sorry." There was a sheepish smile. "I'm Tsuzuki Asato. Touda's one of my Summons."

"So, you're also Byakko's summoner." Ken looked at the shinigami suspiciously, moving closer to have a better look at those so-called purple eyes. Tsuzuki leaned back. Ken returned to his space, realizing he was blind as a bat again without his contract with Kurikara. "At least you're not as rude as the last shinigami I met.."

Tsuzuki laughed.

Ken sighed. "I take it you know who he was?"

"Does the name Terazuma ring any bells?" Tsuzuki grinned.

"Yeah, now I remember." Ken nodded to himself mostly.

"He's really the only one that fits the bill, other than…" The shinigami grunted as if elbowed, before dismissing what he was about to say. "And you are…?"

"The name's Katsujin Kenichi." Ken flicked a wet dreadlock out of his face and over his shoulder. "So, why would a shinigami who could summon someone like Byakko be here in a place where there are no souls to collect?"

Tsuzuki chuckled. "Funny thing that. My partner and I were on vacation. I was hoping we'd stay out of trouble this time…"

Nodding, Ken licked his dry lips and looked about at his fuzzy surroundings, fingers fidgeting along the table's smooth surface. "Hey, would you know if there's anything to drink around here?"

The young-appearing man called over his shoulder. "Tenkuu, if you could send someone up with refreshments and snacks that'd be great."

"Yes, Master," the walls seemed to grumble. Ken squinted looking for who had spoken. Then he squinted at the floor and at the impossibly high blur that was the ceiling. Then it struck him. This whole building… _No way! A __**building**__ can be a shikigami too?!_

"So, how did you end up with Kurikara?"

Still distracted, Ken forced himself to stop looking nervously around. "Um," he said unintelligibly. He couldn't stop thinking of the giant hole that opened up in the courtyard. Of how a giant hole could open up underneath him at any time. "I…y'know he just asked." _When I was training to be a monk._

Someone with large ears like a monkey appeared and placed a cup next to Ken. Another set down a tray of sliced fruit and another tray with steamed buns.

Ken gulped the juice down, thirsty as hell. He filled it up with the pitcher and drank some more. When Tsuzuki didn't say anything else, but didn't restart the conversation, Ken set the cup down.

"What about him do you want to know?"

"He once told me how much he hated humans."

"That so? Guess he had me fooled. He's too much of a protector." Ken bit off a piece of another steamed bun. "Now, it's your turn."

"My turn?" Tsuzuki sounded surprised.

"Other than that pissy guy I met, Kurikara's never let me talk to any others we've seen. I wanted to know what it's like to be a shinigami."

The fellow hesitated. "Well, first you die."

Ken waved his hands in front of him. "I don't want to know anything personal. I just wondered if it was true that having a strong attachment to life has anything to do with it."

Tsuzuki stilled, and then the white contrasting with his skin told Ken he was smiling yet again. "Yeah. There is some truth to that."

"But…?"

"If your gifts haven't caught Enma's eye, then he looks for your strong attachments if you apply for the position."

"…You can _apply_?... Huh. Doesn't sound very otherworldly." Ken finished off the steamed bun in his hand as he listened.

"Kid, if you aren't slated for Heaven or Hell or Rebirth, the after-life is like a bureaucracy. It's complicated in the boring way bureaucracies are."

"I see." Ken leaned his elbow against the table. "So you said you were on vacation?"

"Yeah, but trouble followed us again."

"What kind of trouble?"

"An evil shikigami that was exiled had returned to take over Gensoukai or something like that, but it's okay now. It's nothing like dealing with a power-crazed sociopath or demons."

Ken knew better than ask for details, so he shook his head and then reached for yet another steamed bun. He hadn't eaten anything filling in the past two days. "I've never met a megalomaniac, but demons I have. I've never met one that wasn't a nasty piece of work. Even Kurikara can't stand them, but he'd give them the benefit of the doubt until they tried to harm someone. I guess I should've expected that from an enlightened one like him."

Tsuzuki turned away then and addressed someone beside him that Ken hadn't noticed was there. "You need to eat something after the rough day you've had."

Before the long, blond-haired person could respond, a sharp voice bellowed from the doorway, "Kurikara RyuOh, the Dragon King, has perished."

_Dead…_ Ken's heart squeezed painfully. Somehow he had expected the Dragon to survive. His hand brushed his arm where the manacle used to be.

"Sohryuu!" Tsuzuki hopped off the bench towards who had spoken as if glad to have an excuse to get away from the human.

Unbothered, Ken was more frustrated by his eyesight, unable to see anything more but blurred colors two feet in front of him, but there was nothing wrong with his ears. He cocked his head in their direction, munching on another steamed bun.

"We need to send out an official dispatch before the reborn Dragon of Fire grows too big and creates a desert to his liking."

Turning away to think, Ken scratched his head. _So, when gods die here they are reborn into their original form?_

"If you trained as a monk, you'd know about the cycle of rebirth." A new voice answered his unspoken question.

Jerking his hand down, Ken startled and squinted at the slight youth, recognizing the voice that had saved his life. He'd meant to express his gratitude, but had gotten caught up with talking to Byakko before. "I did… um, thanks for before. I would have died out there…?"

"You're welcome, Katsujin." The youth, bowed slightly, which Ken reflexively mirrored in his seated position. "My name is Kurosaki Hisoka, I'm Tsuzuki's partner."

That was news to him. He'd expected Kurosaki to be another shikigami, not a death god, when he'd seen the bright power flowing from Kurosaki into him… It was almost as if_—_

"At any rate, I'm beat." The youth's head twisted away and he called out, "I'm going to bed. Make sure these two get rooms before you start drinking."

Tsuzuki called for Tenkuu again and ordered exactly that. "I'm coming with you."

Seeing the two blobs—one brown and red and the other yellow and blue—walk away, Ken looked around the fuzzy frenzy of activity around him for his friend who must have wandered away while he'd been chatting. "Byakko!"

The blue-haired shikigami jogged towards him before stopping near enough for Ken to see him. "What's up?"

"Is there going to be a wake for Kurikara?"

"Yes, and for Tenko and Taimo."

"Count me in, then. I want to pay my respects," Ken stated, noticing that Kijin hadn't been included.

"Do you think you could hold the liquor of the gods, Katsujin?" A familiar bellow sounded.

Ken laughed once turning to meet the busty Phoenix who was a giant red and cream blur. She wasn't nearly so scary after their talk in the cave. "Hey, Suzaku, as long as I don't transform into an animal I'm okay."

"Why don't you stick to water and juice?" The soft voice of the biwa player asked quietly behind his head.

"Laaame," Ken groaned, grinning at her. "It's not fun if I can't drink."

In the light of the Hall's smokeless torches, Ken saw the white blob of her sash hovering around the biwa player, like a small canopy. Her face was painted bone white. She smiled at his attention. "Would you like me to play a song for you?"

"Uh…"

"Maybe later, Kouchin. There's a lot that needs to be done before the funeral. Katsujin, we'll see you around." Suzaku patted his back twice as if Ken would break before leading Kouchin out of view.

He nodded a little late and muttered, "Later."

A meaty arm clapped around Ken's back, reminding him that the Tiger was still there. "Overwhelmed yet?"

"Nah." Ken looked over his shoulder at Byakko. "But it's been bothering me…"

"Shoot."

"I think that healer is—"

"I found you!"

"Huh?" Ken glanced at the green-haired child. "Didn't people teach you not to interrupt adults?"

"But, Master said I hafta keep the mortals safe!"

"Don't let me interfere with your Master's orders, then squirt!" Byakko ruffled her hair and turned to grin at Ken. "She's a decent bodyguard, Katsujin. Don't make a fuss." With a relaxed posture, Byakko pulled away when Suzaku impatiently called his name.

"Heyyy, you **are** Ken, right?" The white grin spread from ear to ear, and her skin gave off the sheen of rainwater or sweat.

"Yes?"

She hopped next to him swinging her arms. "Master said I gotta watch you both, so I'll get you and him together so my job's easier, amigo!"

"Tsuzuki did?" Ken was a little confused by her response and bemused that he hadn't caught her name yet.

"No, silly!" She giggled as if that were an odd answer. "Hisoka is my Master! Tsuzuki's okay but I like Hisoka more!" She giggled again and then tugged on his filthy shirt. "Let's go, let's go, amigo! The Wake will be first thing in the morning!"

At her insistence, he followed her bouncy form down the length of the table, feeling proud of himself when his toes only caught on a flagstone once.

"There! This is Nagare, and this is Ken. Be friends, okay?" She clapped her hands together. "First, the baths!" She skipped out of view.

Ken squinted at the blond person standing stiffly in front of him. He could tell that this Nagare had a lot in common with Kurosaki Hisoka at least in terms of aura. The only difference was that Nagare's was darker with colors that were a bit washed out.

"You'll have to excuse Riko. She's a bit excitable..." The voice was soft-spoken, not nearly as caustic as Ken had expected.

"Nice to meet you," Ken said after a pause.

"Please take care of me." The man looked at him for a moment then shifted. "Pardon me for asking, but are you alright?"

"Yeah, I just can't see squat. I had a thick pair of glasses before Kurikara became my shikigami."

"I see."

Ken snorted at the unintended pun.

"Geez, amigos! What's taking so long? You'll get lost if you don't follow me!" With a huff, the girl snatched up one hand from the both of them and proceeded to lead them. "You can talk in the bath!"

Nagare took it all in stride, expecting her strength and speed, while Ken clumsily stumbled, unable to see. The girl hardly slowed down, so determined she was to reach their destination.

They entered a breezeway lined with bricks, if Ken's bare feet could be believed. The water from the storm was seeping onto the edges of the concave floor, and the wind slapped them with rain from one side.

"C'mon! They're just down there!" She yelled over the explosive thunderclap.

The two men walked after the strange girl as she hopped and skipped in front of them, cheerfully humming as if it were a totally clear day.

* * *

Out of view of the others, Hisoka collapsed in exhaustion against Tsuzuki.

His partner wrapped him with gentle arms and lifted his legs up to carry him. Hisoka sunk into that embrace, feeling like he could sleep like that. "Did you want to take a bath?"

"Not now... I'll take one in the morning."

"We'll go to the funeral tomorrow. Byakko'll tell us if we miss anything at the wake."

When Hisoka said nothing, Tsuzuki continued down the hall.

They entered the room they shared the night before, and Tsuzuki closed the door behind him.

"Tsuzuki… I know."

The muscles corded under him, making the position very uncomfortable. "Know what?" Tsuzuki asked like he didn't know.

"About why you can enter dreams. Your..." Hisoka lifted a shaky hand and pressed it to his chest. "darkness told me."

Tsuzuki set him on the bed without turning his haunted eyes away and then laughed it off. "Darkness? Are you sure you're feeling okay, Hisoka?"

"You can't keep pretending nothing's wrong."

His partner took a deep breath, breaking eye contact. "I don't know what he told you, but you need to stay away from him. He's a jerk. The only one he cares about is himself."

" 'He'," Hisoka enunciated, "is a part of you. I don't think making a part of yourself separate_—_"

"You haven't seen what he's capable of, how much pain he's caused…" Tsuzuki's voice cut across him, looking visibly shaken. "I know he's inside of me. That's why… that's why I have to make sure he never gets out. I have to protect you from him now that he's gotten stronger." He pressed the heel of his hands against his eyes. "So he can't hurt anyone else... I need to—" Tsuzuki bit off the last part. "If you had died…" Bitterness and grief leaked out into his voice.

With a strength Hisoka wasn't aware he still had, he grabbed the front of Tsuzuki's shirt. "You can't still mean that. I thought…" It didn't matter what he thought. But the little things Tsuzuki did and said were coming back, subtly expressing a dark wish that could never come true so long as Hisoka existed.

Hisoka felt his anger burn with an added heavy pressure hurting like a sore under his breastbone. "Do you really think I'd let you hurt me?!"

A large hand wrapped over the top of his fists bunched in fabric. "I won't leave you. I would never leave you."

Willing his hands to remain trapped under Tsuzuki's, tears filled up Hisoka's eyes while he shook his head slowly. "No... Don't you dare try to distract me now. You still want to die, don't you?"

"Hisoka. It's okay," Tsuzuki smiled gently and lifted a hand to brush loose bangs lightly out of his face.

"No, it's not! I won't let you 'okay' it away! Tell me _why_. Why can't you forgive yourself?"

Tsuzuki would have pulled away if Hisoka's hands hadn't tightened on the shirt. Tsuzuki ducked his head down and looked off.

"We've been together for _years_. You _owe_ me this much if you love me as much as you say."

The hunch in his shoulders grew more pronounced as Tsuzuki took a shallow breath. "Almost a century ago, I made a Contract with my sister when we were kids. I promised I'd protect her always as long as she stayed by my side… We grew up, apart from each other, but I was compelled to be near her."

Even with the remnants of the forced bond, Hisoka could feel the raw pain of an old wound.

Tsuzuki's shaky movements stilled as the pain intensified. "She was murdered… Right in front of me. I could have prevented it if I'd reacted faster… I…" A bitter noise exhaled out of his throat. "I lost it… I tore them apart with my bare hands."

Deep, dark satiation at the memory of revenge kept Hisoka's hands bunched where they were. Hisoka was afraid to say a word, lest Tsuzuki stop talking.

Tsuzuki clawed his tense hands, remembering how slow and cruel he'd been. "It didn't stop there. Ruka's soul was mine to protect. But death gods came to take her away, and _I was never going to let that happen." _Hisoka knew he had killed them with hardly a thought, as the same dark feelings emanated from him.

"Then the Demon Slayers came to put me down like a mad dog. I don't blame them…. I'd so completely given into pure instinct and wouldn't let anyone or anything close to Ruka because I had promised her… I had Contracted with her..." Guilt, terrible guilt surfaced then. "The villagers were caught between me and my goal to have Ruka by my side. I slaughtered them all, and _I didn't care._ As long as Ruka was with me, I would do _anything_."

Hisoka's heart grew tight as he remembered nightmares of the vengeful ghouls that haunted Tsuzuki. Even after all this time, the memory of killing all of those people haunted_—_would forever haunt_—_Tsuzuki.

Swallowing down the nausea of horror, Tsuzuki brought his hands up to his face. "The worst of it was Ruka's face afterwards… She begged me, Hisoka. _Begged me_ to release her from the Contract." Tsuzuki closed his eyes hearing the ghostly, broken sobs. "I wouldn't. Not for months, and by then there was hardly anything left of Ruka's soul."

After an extremely long silence, Hisoka pressed his face against Tsuzuki's chest, hands still bundled with his shirt. "But you let her go."

"She was so weak... had to let her go. I was destroying her by keeping her between worlds." Tsuzuki took a ragged breath.

That piercing emotion of failure caused the memory of fire to spring forward in Hisoka's mind. Hisoka remembered Suzaku's flames were scorching hot then, while Tsuzuki cradled the head of that girl Muraki had turned into a monster. Her death must have triggered these painful memories Tsuzuki was sharing with him now...

"It still hurts, Hisoka. It's constantly there like a wound that never heals. If I let you, you'll—" Hisoka felt the fabric grow taut, near its breaking point, when Tsuzuki pulled the collar tight around his neck. "All I do is _**hurt others**_. So, I hold that predator inside of me captive…to protect everything I hold dear."

Hisoka clung tightly to him as Tsuzuki labored through tight breaths.

Usually a soul so in despair chose Hell over purgatory, choosing an eternity of pain and suffering over the chance of rebirth. It was why a suicide victim typically went to Hell. Whatever pain they felt they deserved, they chose that path of torture for themselves. It was why no one had suspected how much self-hatred Tsuzuki truly harbored… because those souls doomed themselves believing they were beyond salvation. Now, Hisoka knew the truth about Tsuzuki's death. Something the love of his life had never wanted to share with him.

"Tsuzuki… why did you become a shinigami?"

"I made a trade."

"Why?"

"Ruka was Judged to go to Hell because of me… Because of the Contract… She sold her soul to the Devil through me. I couldn't let her go there. She didn't do anything wrong. Her only mistake was to trust me."

"So, you became a shinigami…"

Tsuzuki nodded. "I was responsible for her, for so many deaths… I traded an eternity of servitude for her to be Judged on her own merits."

Hisoka finally released Tsuzuki, his fingers numb from the amount of force he'd exerted. He reached them up to touch the warm tears streaming down Tsuzuki's face. For Tsuzuki, he'd believe in forever. "If you're here for an eternity, so am I."

Another breath truncated into a sob then, and Hisoka was wrapped into a tight embrace, his arm jammed against their chests and his hand against Tsuzuki's neck. Hisoka just rode through Tsuzuki's warring feelings of denial and gratitude, trapped in the tight circle of his lover's arms.

* * *

Even with Mother's help, Watari was barely fending off the numerous malicious attacks on Gensoukai's mainframe. Worse, he was tiring.

A thick arm came from around him and pressed a long-fingered hand against the virtual panel, taking over.

Turning sharply, Watari met a taller man with a visor wrapped around his face. The scientist turned back to the virtual console to see that multiple layers of protection had been instantly set up against Enma's tech-goons.

Before he had a chance to sigh in relief, Watari set his jaw stubbornly. "Who are you?"

"Do you have access codes to the Gate?"

"No, I'm stuck here since access was pulled from my outside contact." Pushing his glasses up, Watari looked the stranger over. He was wearing a similar tight-fitting black outfit that was default-apparel for those with administrator control.

"Stand aside. That KERES will cause havoc on the mainframe's fragile reliability if it is not destroyed completely. You constructed a counter-program, did you not?"

Glancing once again at the panel that was no longer chirping and beeping warnings, Watari thought it prudent to answer. "Yes, but IASO should be infectious enough to remove all traces of KERES…"

Watari watched with awe as this stranger built a program to apply an infinitely copied IASO, blanket-style, over the affected region of Gensoukai by slipping it into a rainstorm. Never had Watari ever seen anyone else manipulate the Imaginary world's Code like he could, besides Lord Enma.

"Who are you?" The scientist asked again.

Since the somewhat beefy man ignored his question for the second time, Watari waved a hand up next to the guy accessing his 'properties', information on his profile.

He only learned that his username was BlackThorn and that he'd been clocked into Gensoukai's mainframe for 11045160054 seconds. _That can't be right… Eleven billion seconds? That's roughly…_

The man, codename BlackThorn, seemed unbothered by the general call for information as his fingers flew across the holographic keyboard. Sub-routines were flickering faster on the screens than Watari could track.

"How can you have been trapped here since the time of Kamakura? Computers weren't this complex until just a decade ago!"

While he worked, BlackThorn's amusement managed to play into his relaxed posture, his rich black hair cascading down his shoulders to touch the floor and then some. "This is a self-aware dimension governed by a list of specific parameters and maintained by whatever god understands its code."

Puzzling over the words, Watari was struck by his air of assurance. "What you're suggesting is ridiculous. Just because I run maintenance _programs_ on Gensoukai's mainframe doesn't make me a god."

A dull red light glowed from where BlackThorn's eyes might have been under the full mask of the visor. "With a direct link to Hades, you've seen the code beneath the reality of life and death whether you understand it or not. No mere mortal could pass through the protective protocols on Hades without going insane. A fledgling you may be, but still a god." His tanned hand was still pressed to the control panel, and then he turned to speed up his work.

Speechless, Watari brought a hand up to the back of his skull. Under all of his hair, he could still feel the scar and the extra hard place where metal had replaced bone.

It'd always bothered him that, before the surgery and implantation of Mother, he'd been a quantifiably normal soul besides his high intelligence. And yet after the short recovery period, when he drew anything, no matter how badly, the doodle would come to life. He had even pulled Tsuzuki from another dimension when he'd gotten trapped in Earl's storybook, just willing it to be so.

He frowned as he remembered that, troubled. After he'd recovered from the surgery, he'd been so disturbed by the side effects that he'd dropped himself from the program and insisted that the project had been a failure.

If what BlackThorn had said was true, then… he was able to manipulate the foundations of reality simply because he had this knowledge…? What a terrible power. Little wonder that every failed gender-change potion had caused the laws of reality to break around him…

"Disengaging BlackThorn and GoldBird in 5… 4… 3… 2… 1…"

* * *

By the time he had arrived to witness Kijin's betrayal, Rikugo had had to make a choice between saving the White Tiger and the Dragon King since the pathways had solidified.

Rikugo chose the path of the most harmony over time, the one where Gensoukai would be prepared to fight the Chaos that was always threatening their existence. Old wounds would be healing now that the being that had never belonged within their Imaginary World departed, leaving his dark legacy behind him.

"Dimension Form!" A giant warped bubble, where time flowed separately in a different space from his surroundings, erupted from his outstretched palms.

Standing in the darkened forest, soaked by the rain that was destroying the deadly virus, Rikugo was aware that he could have saved Kurikara RyuOh's body had he frozen its Time long enough for the rain to come. However, the virus had already robbed Kurikara RyuOh of memory. If the Dragon of Fire had been healed, he would have been a babe trapped inside a powerful form capable of destroying the world with the smallest of tantrums.

Better to restart life in an immature body...

Holding the separate dimension so that Kurikara RyuOh would be reborn within reach, he waited.

The ash of the disintegrating body fell inward, slumping, and a messy lump was revealed. Letting the dimensional bubble pop, Rikugo reached down and plucked the small, glowing salamander with fiery frills around its face off the muddy ground. It immediately crawled down his arm and wrapped a tail snuggly about his elbow.

He turned westward to the palace, knowing that at noon tomorrow the hei hei delegation would arrive with their plan to help knit the factions of their world together.

**TBC.**


	25. Shadow Tamer

_**Author's notes:** Phew. Had some surprise!stumbles I had to work out before I felt comfortable posting again.  
_

**Warning:** Umm... politics!

* * *

It's amazing, it's amazing all that you can do  
It's amazing, it makes my heart sing  
Now it's up to you

Patience, now, frustration's in the air  
And people who don't care  
Well it's gonna get you down  
And you'll fall (fall)  
Yes you will hit a wall  
But get back on your feet  
And you'll be stronger and smarter

_—__Excerpt from_ "It's Amazing" _by **Jem**_

* * *

Kneeling on aching joints, Wakaba was shaking from the effort to maintain the powerful wards on Watari's lab. Enma's Enforcers were so close to breaking through…

If only she could have reached Kotaro and Kojiro. They would have helped her even if her access codes no longer worked.

A bright flash of a Gate opening and closing and the creak of Watari moving from the chair caused Wakaba's concentration to falter, and that was enough for Enma's Enforcers to finish off her seal and pour in through the door.

She fell forward onto her hands, drenched in sweat. A simple paper charm keyed to her signature easily sealed what was left of her power.

"Stop," A baritone voice commanded.

Nobody moved or breathed, other than Watari who crouched next to her. "Wakaba-chan, are you alright?"

She couldn't move.

"I don't think he meant you, Wakaba-chan."

Immediately she sucked down air and looked at Watari shakily. He didn't realize just who he'd brought back as he smiled at her and said, "It's going to be alright."

"Tell your master that I have returned," the man said to Enma's servants as he stepped forward. He wore only a pair of form-fitting pants, his rich black hair coiled and braided to keep from touching the ground.

"Tou-touda," Wakaba stuttered in amazement, staring at the man with barely contained dread.

"Touda?!" Watari exclaimed, his head whipping up.

The man paused and turned his crimson gaze on her. With a simple gesture, the seal on her shoulder lifted and burned away. "Your service as Gatekeeper has ended, Wakaba Kannuki. I would advise against acting rashly."

Dropping her eyes to the floor, she nodded.

"Watari Yutaka, I have an old dispute to settle. If you value your existence, do not follow me."

Watari swallowed his questions down, taking the warning to heart as the man-shaped Hell-Serpent exited.

The scientist bent down to help his fellow shikigami up. "If he's Touda, why isn't he in his shikigami form?"

"He's not a shikigami. He…he has to be summoned to take the form, and then once summoned it was only at your peril." Wakaba exhaled a shudder. "I don't know what he is. Some other Gatekeeper was in charge of that secret."

"Do you know what he meant by 'old dispute'?"

"He was tricked out of the Mantle of Judgment and cast into Gensoukai. Now that Touda's back…" She looked pointedly at the computer screen, remembering how he returned. "There's no telling what will become of us."

"Are you saying there was a _successful_ coup against _Enma_?!"

Looking at Watari uneasily, Wakaba nodded. "Whoever wears the Mantle _becomes_ Enma. That was my secret to safeguard."

"How long ago… No, I already know that." Watari mused, "… So, if Touda was the Enma up to the Kamakura Age, then who replaced him and why?"

"It was never confirmed, but the legend goes that there was a demon that was once his lover. This demon stole his Mantle and cast him into Gensoukai."

Watari sat back heavily on the ground, not understanding why the imposter Enma had allowed Mother's existence and all those experiments on human souls. But now it made sense why the current Enma would make deals with minions of hell being demon as well.

"Tell me anything else you know," he demanded.

* * *

Tatsumi stood in the doorway of the Summons Section, watching Enma's servants scurry from Watari's lab, notably _without_ Watari or Wakaba. Not long after, a tanned, well-built man strolled out.

Tatsumi frowned. There was something very familiar about the abnormal heat that filled the hallway. He reached up to loosen his tie.

The shirtless stranger stopped and turned towards him, scrutinizing the Shadow User as one would a horse.

"I beg your pardon?" With his best stony expression, Tatsumi managed a civil tone. He was infinitely glad that the rookie had wandered into the general office and hadn't seen the intense inspection Tatsumi had just suffered through. "I don't believe you're authorized to be here."

A smile curled those lips, and the stranger lifted his splayed hand towards the floor.

Almost immediately, the shadows responded to this man, humming. They seeped from their dark nooks and hidden crannies, pressing against the man's hand like an earnest cat looking for a good backrub.

The man examined Tatsumi's features again, petting the shadows. "I assure you, Shadow User, I rightfully belong here," the deep voice answered, "And it is most pleasing to me that you've remembered your oath of service."

Something inside of Tatsumi unwound, and he blinked feeling heat creep to his ears as if he'd drunk an entire bottle of saké.

Harrumphing, Tatsumi adjusted his glasses, silently calling the reluctant shadows—shadows that were tied to his soul—to return to him. He was greatly unnerved by their reluctance to return to him and his general reaction to this… person. It was unlikely that he could win a fight over the shadows if they preferred this stranger's touch.

"Who's that I heard, Tatsumi?" The rookie's bright voice asked cheerfully, reappearing by his shoulder. "Oo! Eye candy!" Before Tatsumi could stop him, Sachiya had taken multiple pictures in rapid succession. He cried out when his newest camera began to melt and smoke, dropping it on the ground. "What the—"

The stranger flicked his red eyes at Sachiya, giving him a far briefer look-over. With a dismissive snort, he continued down the hall towards the Audience Chambers.

"Well, that wasn't very nice," Sachiya said uneasily glancing at his camera, and then looked up at Tatsumi. "So, I suppose Enma is real cozy with demons? I mean, _I'm_ here because of a demon-deal…"

Tatsumi felt a little dazed. "Demon? Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I got to see them all the time when I was… you know, in Hell. It's a good thing you didn't try to fight him. I can tell that that guy's definitely on par with Lucifer. Could be a nephew or cousin, but I don't recognize him." Sachiya trailed off from the blanched look on Tatsumi's face. "Are you okay, Tatsumi?"

Brushing past the clueless rookie, Tatsumi grabbed the office phone from the desk, pressing the emergency speed-dial. "Level 1 alert. We have a breach from an unknown demon. Dispatch _any_ available Demon Slayers." Tatsumi hardly listened to the operator on the other end say that most of them were on missions. "Get them here. _Now_."

* * *

The next day, after the long, ritualistic Wake, Nagare was quite ready to return home. He was saddened by the loss of life, but he hadn't felt so physically well in ages and wished to do more than remain cooped up in this world.

Katsujin Kenichi seemed just as eager to be gone if the way he had shifted foot to foot during the ceremony was any indication of his impatience.

Now, they were enjoying one last feast before the shinigami accompanied them back to the real world.

The door banged open.

The hall quieted to see who had entered. A strange, glasses-wearing man in elaborate robes held a bundle carefully with his hands.

"Rikugo!" His son's partner wearing green called out, hopping to his feet to greet the new shikigami in their midst.

"That guy's supposed to be able to see time-space as it truly is, when all six of his eyes are open," Katsujin commented.

Nagare nodded to acknowledge the remark, but was curious as to why the shikigami had made such a showy entrance.

"What's this?" Tsuzuki asked plaintively as the bundle was pushed into his hands. He made a noise as he unwrapped the moving, red shape. "It's adorable!"

Immediately, every single one of Tsuzuki's Summons removed themselves from the large long-table and crowded around him and the red creature.

"Hand him to me, Tsuzuki," Sohryuu demanded with a rough voice.

With a confused expression, Tsuzuki passed the red salamander to Sohryuu. "Is he dangerous?"

"No, he's too young," Suzaku answered firmly.

"Then…" Tsuzuki asked questioningly to his shikigami.

"I'm glad you're back," Byakko cooed at the tiny bundle.

"You mean, _this_ is Kurikara?" Hisoka's curious voice sounded out.

"Kurikara?!" Katsujin squawked out, suddenly on his feet. "Let me see!"

Kouchin and Hisoka parted, so one more could gawk at the brilliantly frilled fire salamander.

"Right now he's cute, but in a few weeks that will change," Kouchin stated, remembering the epic poems of trouble from the Dragon King's youth.

"Yes, he'll be running around setting things on fire before you know it," Genbu chortled out.

"Our little resident arsonist," Rikugo agreed.

"Tenkuu will have to be fire-proofed," Suzaku groused.

The building grumbled at that.

Ken couldn't help snickering. "Is he really that much of a hellion?"

"Worse, much worse," Genbu answered gravely, "However, so long as he is acclimated to water at this stage, KurikaraRyuOh will be manageable later on. Sohryuu will make sure of that."

They turned to see how gently the Blue Dragon managed the salamander, who squeaked in protest to be held in the Dragon's chilly hands.

"Here, I'll hold him," Byakko offered.

Sohryuu shot the White Tiger a nasty look as he continued to carefully hold the squirming, biting bundle.

"Master," Tenkuu quickly interjected, "Pardon the interruption. Three delegations are seeking admittance for a formal audience with the four Guardians. They also politely asked for the attendance of both yourself and Kurosaki Hisoka."

"Business calls then," Tsuzuki looped an arm around his smaller partner.

"Riko, standing orders, got it?" Hisoka barked out over his shoulder.

"Aye, aye, Master!" She giggled and re-attached herself to both Humans.

Ken groaned, having quite enjoyed not being the center of her world for the morning. It had been horrifying enough when she'd followed them into their bath last night.

"You are aware that _we're fully grown men_!" He yelled after the diminutive blond shikigami who disappeared out the door after the four Guardians.

"You don't like my company?" Riko whined unhappily.

Ken witnessed the most pathetic look he'd ever seen, but before he could apologize Nagare said, "That was a barb towards my overprotective son, little one, though a little space would be appreciated."

"Oh!" She hopped over the bench and took a step back. "Is that far enough?"

Ken almost pointed at the vase about ten feet away and told her to move there, but Nagare answered first.

"Yes, thank you," Nagare said graciously.

Leaning against his hand, Ken sighed, wishing he had been invited to these delegations. He was so _bored_.

* * *

Two Elders of the Tengu, Sojobo and Houkibo, with their trademark hooked noses awaited them at a long table set before Sohryuu's throne. Adjacent to them sat a large, white-and-gray hei hei resplendent in purple and blue silks lined with silver sequins. Beside the winged cat sat a tall woman with furry ears, familiar face markings, and black, braided hair. By her sat…

"Terazuma!" Tsuzuki exclaimed in surprise. "You're back to normal!"

Their coworker grinned with his crooked teeth, sticking a finger in his totally normal ears as if to clean it. "'Course I am." Terazuma gave Hisoka a long look. "You've changed too, kid. Where'd you get the fancy weapons?"

Flushing, Hisoka with his nail-free hands lightly touched the harness that held his arrows and the sheath for the knife. He'd learned from sleeping last night that if he stopped cradling the bow in the crook of his arm it'd turn back into cumbersome fingernails. "I've learned some techniques."

Tsuzuki clapped his shoulder. "Hisoka's part shikigami."

Terazuma's eyebrows raised. "I had heard dragons had a thing for long hair."

Overhearing this, Sohryuu snorted, but did not intervene in his Master's conversation.

Self-consciously, Hisoka reached back to the carefully tied ponytail and scowled. "I'm not part-dragon. I just haven't gotten around to cutting it."

The shikigami beside Terazuma chuffed.

Hisoka blinked at her.

"Hey, I'm not jealous of the kid's hair!" Terazuma growled at the woman.

"Are you Kuro-chan?" Tsuzuki asked curiously.

She waved a quick salute with a throaty 'aah!' sound.

"Who else would she be, dog-brain?" Terazuma asked nastily.

"It was an honest—!" Tsuzuki raised his voice before he was cut short.

"Let us stay to the matter at hand, Shinigami. We are here for business," the hei hei spoke loudly. She, for the voice of the growly hei hei was feminine, gestured a purple-sleeved white paw towards Sohryuu. "Has the Hei Hei King's predictions come to fruition then?"

"Yes! Reveal FuDouMyou's reincarnation to us!" Houkibo demanded.

Kagan KokuShungei's ears perked up with deep interest as well.

Sohryuu raised his hand showing the salamander to them, before covering it again with his sleeve. "Why were the Four Guardians not told of the Hei Hei King's vision?"

"Would you really have believed that the sons of Hosogyokumon would knit the factions dividing us?" Sojobo asked rhetorically, glancing towards Hisoka.

Sohryuu's face soured, but did not reply the obvious.

"So," Genbu said gruffly, "the Hei Hei Royalty and Clergy finally agree to let bygones be bygones and become the Four Guardians' allies against Chaos."

"What are your terms for such a harmonious arrangement, Holy Mother?" Suzaku asked directly.

"Release the prisoners of war from the Desert Prison," the hei hei responded easily, "and provide a sponsor who can return the Kagan tribe to their glory in the Ephemeral Forest."

"The first will be done, since I believe no others object," The Blue Dragon answered, looking to the other three Guardians, who nodded their approval. "For the second proposition… I am unavailable."

Genbu chortled. "I'm too old for this mission, and Suzaku will be useful in teaching the fire-breather some control." He pointed the knot of his stick at Byakko. "Byakko will go."

Unhappy with this sudden announcement at becoming responsible for _KurikaraRyuOh_'seducation, Suzaku ground her teeth well aware of the sensitive negotiations they were currently in and unable to vent her discontent.

Not bothered at all that he'd been volunteered without his permission, Byakko broke out into a grin, "That sounds like fun!"

"Will that suffice?" Sohryuu asked the hei hei.

She nodded sagely. "On behalf of my Queen and King, I accept these arrangements."

"Then, the sole representative of the Kagan tribe was here initially to petition Kurikara's pardon?" Genbu mused.

The furry-eared woman nodded.

"She wants permission to seek evidence in Kurikara's innocence in the murder of Byakko's former incarnation even if the deaths caused by his rage cannot be pardoned," Terazuma said in a professional tone.

Having moved towards the Lioness, Genbu raised his gnarled hand. "That I can provide. Tenkuu, show the evidence that Kagan KokuShungei desires."

The lights dimmed and a projection appeared on the wall. Sound emanated from the stone as the fighting scene between Kurikara and Kijin replayed from thousands of years ago.

Stunned silence filled the room once the projection had ended. It was about this time that Hisoka wondered why they'd been invited to this gathering.

"Still," Sojobo murmured, "Kurikara was responsible for the death of our loved ones and the destruction of our precious lands and sacred knowledge when his rage grew out of control."

"But has he not paid the ultimate price in protecting our world from the First King's nefarious plots and the blood-traitor Kijin's madness?" The Holy Mother asked softly.

Houkibo snorted. "Our wounds are not so easily healed, my lady. It may take eons for us to forget our grudge. However, we will drop our charges of war reparations against FuDouMyou's newest incarnation, so long as he is taught tight control."

The three delegations looked to Sohryuu and then pointedly to Sohryuu's robes which had begun to smoke.

Terazuma snickered before he controlled himself.

Shooting the shinigami an annoyed look, Sohryuu summoned a mist to soak into the fabric before it could catch fire.

"So, the most esteemed Sojobo and Houkibo, you are here to end your neutrality with the Four Guardians, are you not?" Genbu's eyes gleamed mischievously.

"Our terms," Sojobo said slowly, "will require a more difficult request. We need your Master's cooperation."

Having also wondered what they were doing there, Tsuzuki exchanged a glance with Hisoka.

"What could Tsuzuki offer to you that we Four could not?" Suzaku asked curiously.

Sojobo raised a trailing eyebrow. "We will no longer cooperate as liaisons between Meifu and our world…"

"Until the link between our world and the mortal's living realm is restored," Houkibo finished gruffly.

"I see," Byakko grinned, "that's not something _we_ can fix." Clapping a hand on Tsuzuki's shoulder, Byakko grinned. "Count on Tsuzuki to get it done!"

"Ummmmmm…." Tsuzuki winced. "I don't know what _I_ could do…"

"Where do you think Touda has gone? Surely, you don't think he needed time away from you?" Genbu chortled.

"What do you mean he's gone?" Hisoka blurted out before Tsuzuki could say anything.

"He's escaped, when we were all busy with Hosogyokumon," Suzaku said with dawning horror, "with the restraints gone and his ability to connect with Tenkuu's mainframe, it would be easy for him to depart from this dimension…"

Slamming his cane down to stop the inevitable panic, Genbu tsked once. "As KurikaraRyuOh once said, Touda did not _belong_ here. It was only a matter of time after he lost the shackles on his memory and power that he would escape."

"But the Golden Emperor said—" Suzaku started glancing towards Sohryuu.

"The Golden Emperor is no longer an ally of mine," Sohryuu stated evenly. "Though it's true he stopped Kurikara's fiery rampage when all seemed lost, the Golden Emperor is responsible for starting the War that has torn our world apart in the first place. He only saved us to keep another world's criminal here."

Since Tsuzuki seemed lost, Hisoka looked at Terazuma questioningly. He shrugged, not really following the conversation either.

"Another world's criminal…?" Tsuzuki repeated quietly. "What do you mean? I thought Touda was locked up for siding with Kurikara…"

Sohryuu shook his head. "It was partly that, but we were told he was cast into the Imaginary World to protect the living realm from his machinations. He had tried to overthrow the god of Judgment and failed despite his obscene amount of power."

A fist slammed down as the remaining member of the Kagan tribe shook her head firmly, growling.

Terazuma cocked his head. "_Shit. _She says that _Touda_ was overthrown and cast into the Imaginary World to keep from retaking the Throne of Judgment."

The Holy Mother nodded. "That is what my people were told to explain the Hell-Serpent's presence in our world."

"We are talking about _the_ Lord EnmaDaiOh, correct?" Hisoka queried to a suddenly quiet table. "Tsuzuki, did you _ever_ hear about Enma being overthrown?"

"I…" Tsuzuki hesitated. "I wasn't aware of that being possible. The Gatekeepers would know, but I've only ever talked to Wakaba. The others live in deep seclusion."

"_Shit_," Terazuma swore again.

"Will you act on our behalf, Shinigami Tsuzuki?" Sojobo inquired.

"I will do my best to change Enma's mind, but it will be difficult." Tsuzuki frowned. "Hisoka, Terazuma, and I should head to Meifu as soon as possible. Because of the danger, I think it's best if Ken and Kurosaki-san remain here."

"They're not going to like that," Hisoka brought up.

"No kidding," Byakko agreed.

"Sohryuu, will you make sure they're protected until we are sure they can be safely brought to the living realm?"

"Of course, Tsuzuki. I will tell little Riko that she is to remain as their bodyguards, until such a time as it is safe for them to travel. So long as her master doesn't mind," Sohryuu said inclining his head towards the blond.

"She'd love that," Hisoka said dryly, "but I think Katsujin might go stir-crazy."

Byakko nudged Suzaku with his elbow.

"I can practice swordplay with Katsujin should he want it," Suzaku offered reluctantly.

Hisoka nodded, thinking that might help.

Genbu cleared his throat and all eyes were focused once again on him. "Is everyone satisfied with the decisions of this assembly?"

The two Tengu and Hei hei murmured their assent, while the Black Lioness nodded.

The Four Guardians exchanged looks.

"Hisoka," Genbu began seriously, "as a show of good faith and will of the Four Guardians' promises, would you consider healing Koku Shungei of the Kagan tribe?"

The woman's furry black ears quirked up, and she grinned expectantly at Hisoka.

"You could do that?" Terazuma asked incredulously.

"Told you Hisoka's learned some techniques," Tsuzuki bragged.

Stepping closer to her, Hisoka blinked, looking for any missing limbs or appendages, and didn't see anything amiss. "I apologize if this sounds uninformed, but heal what exactly?"

She opened her mouth, showing off her nubby tongue.

"Oh," Hisoka said dumbly. No wonder Terazuma had spoken for her during the audience. "Sure, I'll heal you." He stepped nearer to her.

When she reached out her hands towards him, Hisoka grasped them. He summoned his healing power with a word and, once the light faded, he moved away while she rolled her tongue around behind her cheeks.

"Thhh-anksss," Koku Shungei enunciated carefully.

"The King and Queen were right to trust in you. From the bottom of their hearts and mine, thank you for carrying your burden without faltering. Thank you for your kindnesses." The Holy Mother curtsied extravagantly, and Hisoka bowed in the style of a Westerner as he was taught from Teiko's servants.

"Thank you for the honor, Holy Mother," Hisoka said sincerely, raising himself.

"We all are grateful for your assistance and are indebted to you, Hisoka." Genbu said solemnly.

Suzaku, Byakko, Genbu, and Sohryuu bowed towards him respectfully without the slightest hesitation, as if they had planned to do so.

Hisoka bowed to them deeply in response, relieved to have finally earned the shikigamis' respect. It was a great feeling.

Then, Tsuzuki whooped, spoiling the serious moment, and gave him a thumb's up. "Nice job, Hisoka!"

"Yeah, good going, Kid," Terazuma said with an impressed tone.

Soujibo harrumphed to get their attention. "We will provide access to Meifu. So long as you uphold your end of the bargain, Shinigami will have access to our world. Are you all ready to travel?"

Terazuma glanced at his newly-healed summons who nodded quickly. "I am."

Tsuzuki grinned and wrapped a proud arm around Hisoka's shoulders. "We are!"

Standing, each of the old Tengu pulled a quarterstaff from their belts and stepped to an empty area about four meters away. Aware of their audience, the Tengu dramatically tapped the ends together and lightning streaked.

"May your travels—" Sojobo intoned.

"Be safe," Houkibo finished. Together they pulled the quarterstaffs apart, creating a wormhole.

"See you on the other side, dog-breath!" Terazuma and his summons stepped through side-by-side.

Tsuzuki almost retorted, but then looked back at the remaining half of his summons worriedly and stepped away from Hisoka.

"Don't take too long, Tsuzuki," Hisoka admonished.

"I won't," Tsuzuki promised. Hisoka nodded and left after Terazuma.

"You know we'll manage without you, Tsuzuki. We always did before you came before us," Genbu hummed.

Sohryuu nodded, stroking the damp, sleepy fire salamander in his hands.

"Don't be afraid to send a message if you need my help."

"We will!"

Byakko and Suzaku hugged Tsuzuki in spontaneous synchrony. Releasing Tsuzuki, Suzaku frowned at Byakko, who stepped away from their Master as well grinning at her.

Tsuzuki gave the both of them a puzzled look, before Tenkuu meanly pushed a tile up under him. With a yelp, the eldest shinigami fell through the swirling gateway _backwards_.

"You think he'll be alright going in the wrong way?" Byakko asked candidly to the Tengu.

Sojobo chortled, arm still outstretched with the quarterstaff in hand just like Houkibo to hold the gate open.

With a frown, Houkibo answered, "His _orientation_ shouldn't matter. He would only be lost if we were to shut the gate before he traversed safely."

"Oh, good. It'd be a shame if we lost him," Byakko said sheepishly.

"Tsuzuki is a soft-hearted idiot," Sohryuu grumbled, stroking the baby salamander in his palm, "Bonding himself with a half-breed?"

"I imagine it's as unheard of as a half-breed Bodhi willingly selecting one of demon-flesh as his life companion," the hei hei said succinctly.

"Hisoka, a Bodhi?" Suzaku sounded surprised.

"No wonder I liked him at first sight." Byakko grinned.

"Hosogyokumon's original nature was a divine blessing before he grew corrupted with vanity and greed." Genbu's staff-end rapped against tile. "It was only a matter of time that the boy's true nature was revealed."

The Tengu lowered their staffs synchronously, and the tear in reality winked out of existence.

**TBC...**


End file.
